The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Chainsaws => Topic started by: HolmenTree on October 02, 2015, 02:23:30 PM

Title: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: HolmenTree on October 02, 2015, 02:23:30 PM
I just bought this kit today at my Stihl dealer , 3 Picco 63PS chisel chains, 1 Picco 16"-3003 000 6313 bar and 1 Picco 7 pin rim sprocket. Plus 20% more cutting speed........ $99.95 :)


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21589/20151002_130527.jpg) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21589/20151002_125254.jpg)
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: snowstorm on October 02, 2015, 02:50:59 PM
mine was much cheaper. all from the stihl dealer. sprocket was $10 the bar was $12 chain $18. yes the bar was $12 he bought a lot of them and said he paid $8 each. i put it on a 261
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: snowstorm on October 02, 2015, 02:53:30 PM
now that i looked at the pic you got 3 chains and with the exchange rate it would be close
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: woodsdog2015 on October 02, 2015, 03:26:06 PM
That seems like a great deal.
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: HolmenTree on October 02, 2015, 03:53:34 PM
Just the bar retail price in my dealers book is $75 CDN :o
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: woodsdog2015 on October 02, 2015, 04:02:52 PM
Do they make that for other models?
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: gspren on October 02, 2015, 04:03:55 PM
  I'm going to look for that, I hope they have them in the US, I like my 261 now but 20% faster would be sweet.
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: 49er on October 02, 2015, 05:05:31 PM
PS chain improved my cut times more than 20% on my Redmax3800. If I remember correctly it was approximately 35%. Ya could really feel it.
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: HolmenTree on October 02, 2015, 06:25:17 PM
Quote from: HolmenTree on October 02, 2015, 03:53:34 PM
Just the bar retail price in my dealers book is $75 CDN  :o

It appears the bars we get here in Canada are the real McCoy Logosol 16" bars. $75.86


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21589/20151002_162918.jpg)
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: HolmenTree on October 02, 2015, 07:09:37 PM
Quote from: woodsdog2015 on October 02, 2015, 04:02:52 PM
Do they make that for other models?
Yes also fits the MS241 CM, older 024 026, 240 260 and the first series of 034 had the mini 7 spline drum/rim too.
I don't know if the 63PS yellow  chain is available in the U.S. I think you guys can only get the green 63PS3 chain.
The 63PS doesn't have the extra baggage of  extra safety ramps and links. It cuts better then the 63PS3.
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: clww on October 02, 2015, 07:26:00 PM
That sounds like a really good deal to me, Willard. ;)
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: HolmenTree on October 02, 2015, 07:37:45 PM
Quote from: clww on October 02, 2015, 07:26:00 PM
That sounds like a really good deal to me, Willard. ;)
Yes I thought so too. At first I thought it was just for the 3 chains and rim sprocket as there was no bar inside the sleeve. But my dealer confessed someone swiped the bar and gave me a bar from his inventory.  I can run that bar on my 066 as I have a Logosol Picco sprocket drum for it for milling.
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: clww on October 02, 2015, 08:47:32 PM
That should scream! I've never run a bar that short on a saw that large, although when I bought my 090, one of the bars it came with was a 21". Not very balanced.
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: HolmenTree on October 02, 2015, 09:00:18 PM
How about a 17" I have for my 090. Full skip .404 chisel included  :D

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21589/SDC10087.JPG)
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: ST Ranch on October 09, 2015, 06:54:47 PM
Thanks HT for this post

Just ordered a kit today from my dealer - he had not heard of it, but called Stihl Canada and they confirmed it was available for the 99.95.

It must be hard for the dealer to stock and sell this kind of kit, when they charge well over 30 bucks just for a loop of said chain - My dealer now sells mostly lawn and garden power tools and weekender powersaws - not many pro saws these days

Tom
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: HolmenTree on October 09, 2015, 10:44:48 PM
You're welcome Tom. I don't think Stihl will keep these kits available for long especially at this price.
For the last year or so they've really been pushing the MS241 CM and the new 63PS chain. Good reminder to know it's available for the 261 also.
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: DelawhereJoe on November 17, 2016, 05:42:07 PM
Just found this thread, any of you guys switched over to it in the US ?
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: zach613 on November 17, 2016, 10:58:28 PM
tried looking this up at my local dealer and was not available in the us. might have to get a Canadian friend to order this for me.
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: Ada Shaker on November 18, 2016, 02:45:46 AM
Yeh, don't think we get them down under either. Promotional stuff seems to come out around 6 mths later also. ::)
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: SawTroll on November 18, 2016, 02:28:48 PM
Calling a different from standard cutting attachment a "tuning kit" is quite far fetched anyway, as the option has been there since the model was introduced - and obviously has disadvantages.
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: ladylake on November 18, 2016, 04:10:30 PM
 The 20% faster cutting far outweigh any disadvantage's, I really like that picco chain..  Steve
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: HolmenTree on November 18, 2016, 04:18:05 PM
I agree Steve.
Plus SawTroll who is very critical about weight should know the chain is lighter too . :D
Here's the back of the package . Says on the bottom Made in Germany.


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21589/20161118_151129.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1479503830)
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: ehp on November 18, 2016, 05:51:30 PM
How much power will it stand before it breaks , I'm running 3/8's on this ported 261 and it cuts just about the same in hardwood as the stock 372's /461's
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: HolmenTree on November 19, 2016, 12:09:24 PM
I've milled a few thousand feet of 2"×6" lumber on my Alaskan with this little Picco on my 066 Mag.
Still haven't broke the loop yet.
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: aSmith on August 18, 2017, 04:33:34 PM
Just picked up a 261 and the dealer had no idea about running Picco on it. Sounds like I'm gonna have to cross the bridge and try to find a tuning kit in Windsor. Any idea on the model number?

Holmen, what size bar are you picco-milling with? And how long would you go? Wondering if I should make that adjustment too. Thanks,
Adam
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: HolmenTree on August 18, 2017, 07:17:31 PM
aSmith, welcome to FF, I believe these kits are no longer available on that special price (been a few years ago) but the Logosol 16" bar is still in inventory.

I ran the 16" Logosol Stihl sells plus a 7 TPicco spur sprocket drum Stihl also sells for the 066/660.
I was milling cants with to my 090 on a 36" Alaskan.
Then when it was time to mill lumber off the cants I mounted the 066 with 16" Picco bar/chain in the Alaskan mill.
When I had a hired man he would run the 066/16" on a homemade mill set at 1 1/2" while I kept milling cants with the 090. We cut over a thousand bf one day milling 2"×6"×16' spruce.

I tried the Picco chain on the 36" 090 mill but in time the chain kinked up too bad with all the chain stretching.
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: ButchC on August 21, 2017, 08:39:52 AM
The 63PS is indeed great chain however has been NLA at Stihl for at least a couple years. The green tag version is much slower in my experience about on par with N1C Carton and 91 Oregon. Luckily  I have a lifetime supply  of 63PS since I dont use that much of it :)  Baileys does  list it on the web site in both loops and reels.
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: HolmenTree on August 21, 2017, 10:05:46 AM
Stihl 63PS chisel is still available from dealers here in Canada last time I looked.
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: snonut12 on October 10, 2021, 01:55:29 PM
Been considering to switch over to 3/8 low profile (3/8 picco) on my 261C-M to pair up with my 241C-M which is a fantastic limbing saw. I see this tuning kit (as mentioned by the OP) is for 16" bar and chain. I already am running 16" on my 241 for better reach when limbing. I currently am running 18" .325 on my 261 and would like to keep the length the same. Looking though the bar and chain catalog I found 3/8 picco 18" bar under the model 250, part number 3005 000 4817 

Anyway, can I run this 18" picco bar on my 261 and if so, what is the sprocket part number? And how many links 3/8 picco chains would it need for a proper fit? The catalog says the 16" bar on 261 requires 60 links. 
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: Tacotodd on October 10, 2021, 03:31:08 PM
It's not going to fit. That saw takes a 3003 mount. Keep on going. If you wanted Oregon part numbers I could help, but Stihl is more proprietary than I can look up.
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: lxskllr on October 10, 2021, 03:48:58 PM
Not apples-apples, but I had interest in converting my 026 to using picco chain; ideally with a 20" bar. It looked like it was gonna be more trouble than it was worth to me, using aftermarket parts, and requiring modification.
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: SkeeterKev on October 15, 2021, 09:03:39 PM
You should be able to use the newer Stihl 23RSPro chain on your 261 (you need a 0.050 / 325 bar).  I have been using it over a year now on a Husky 346 and it has never run better.  I also use a Stihl 241 that runs 63PS with a 7 tooth rim sprocket.  You could fit your 261 up to run 63PS but I think 23RSPro is a better option.  You can run 7 or 8 tooth rims depending on what you are cutting.
Title: Re: Stihl MS 261 Performance Tuning Kit.
Post by: HolmenTree on October 28, 2021, 07:26:18 AM
Quote from: SkeeterKev on October 15, 2021, 09:03:39 PM
You should be able to use the newer Stihl 23RSPro chain on your 261 (you need a 0.050 / 325 bar).  I have been using it over a year now on a Husky 346 and it has never run better.  I also use a Stihl 241 that runs 63PS with a 7 tooth rim sprocket.  You could fit your 261 up to run 63PS but I think 23RSPro is a better option.  You can run 7 or 8 tooth rims depending on what you are cutting.
Yes today in 2021 the 23RS Pro chisel chain is the answer for short bar  50cc saws.
I remember years ago I ran the narrow kerf Oregon 95 .325semi chisel on my 346XP with 16" bar, it was a light sabre.
Unfortunately right up to my recent retirement I haven't found any available 23RS Pro chain