441 and 460 which is better?

[quietrangr]

Well, my 460 sucked gas like mad, and it was a lot more vibe prone than my 044. It was also heavier. I love my 044, and it is the better saw for me for falling larger stuff with. I ran the 441, but as one guy said, it was like cutting with a watermelon. It was an earlier model with the lighter AV springs, and the newer larger AV springs may be better. It weighs more than the 044 though, and it is bulky. It has that kid's old fashion rocking horse look and feel to it that I did not like.

My solution to all of this may well be to get one of my 361s fully woods ported and 3/4 wrapped with a 460 HO oil pump upgrade and the larger side cover and dual falling spikes, and be done with the 400 series Stihl saws. I really like the 044 (compared to running the 460 or 660, both of which I have had) but it is a lot more tiring for me than running a 361. I can run a 361 all day and not feel very tired or sore. I have tendonitis though, so that is a large factor for me. I used to be a lot stronger and be able to throw chainsaws around all day and not feel the fatigue of sawing. Hell, I used to be able to run 380 MACs, Homelites and large Olympics. Which is probably what led to the tendonitis though.

Most of the older guys that I know that have back problems, tendonitis or whitefinger all seem to have one thing in common. Being exposed to a lot of vibration. Helicopter pilots, tank drivers, loggers, motocross riders, tractor drivers, etc. We all have similar issues, for what seems to be the same cause. Vibration. When you are younger you may not notice it as much, but later in life it catches up to you. I rode dirt bikes and street bikes for years, and ran old style chainsawed and ran big power tools for years. Then I turned 30 and things started to change. The back started to go out, and then the forearms and shoulders, and the grip. Then its lots of time at the doctor and in physical therapy, and lots of Rx meds, and more therapy, and then you realize that you have to adapt or be in a lot of pain and talking drugs. So you adapt.   

I think I have to ditto this. I ran a 441 for three days, then started switching it back and forth with my 361. It's a little faster, but not enough to make much difference when logging. Maybe when cutting firewood, where you spend more time in the cut. It also vibrates more than the 361. I even tried switching bars and chains, but it was not as smooth, and of course, an extra two and a half pounds. So I sold the 441, and lost a couple of hundred bucks for three days use. Ouch

[smith2bj]

so do you guys think that the 2171 or 372 is a better choice of a saw for the 70 cc class then the 441?

[Brucer]

I've got a 2171 and a 441, both with 24" bars -- one's a backup for t'other (because my income stops dead if I don't have a working saw).

For bucking logs in the yard, I tend to use the 441 because of the fuel economy. The extra .5 kg isn't a big deal.
For working in the bush at home, I like the 2171 because of the weight. That half kilogram doesn't sound like much, but you start to notice it after a couple of hours.

[Mark K]

I have a 372 and a 441. I will grab the 372 first, 441 is a good saw but you I just dont like how its balanced and the vibs are more than the 372. I use both of them for bucking logs and as brucer said you notice the weight difference after a couple of hours. As far as durability, I have no complaints for either. I think its just your preference like ford or chevy.