Husqvarna 550xp mark 2 or Stihl ms261

[Flintknapper]

I keep "almost buying" ECHO saws, if I were starting from scratch I'd buy ECHO because they're reliable, affordable, "easily fixable" and parts and manuals are cheap and available. They're heavier and slower, but not much heavier nor much slower.

^^^^

I like Echo for all the reasons above. I don't use my saws daily or for a 'living' but I use chainsaws on my property at least 200 hrs a year.

I recently purchased an Echo CS-680 with a 24" bar before they stop making them. Older technology but reliable as the day is long.

I'm not a chainsaw snob...but I do recommend spending the extra money for a pro-grade saw in any manufacturers line up (if you will use the saw much).

In my neck of the woods we have an equal amount of Stihl, Husqvarna and Echo dealers. So service (if needed) is not an issue...but I can see where it might influence others.

I do ALL repair work on my saws anyway and none have ever seen the inside of repair shop or dealer. Stihl and Husky are both great saws. But I'd also take the time to look at what Echo offers. A lot of saw for the money in most cases.

 

[Mitjam]

^^^^

I like Echo for all the reasons above. I don't use my saws daily or for a 'living' but I use chainsaws on my property at least 200 hrs a year.

I recently purchased an Echo CS-680 with a 24" bar before they stop making them. Older technology but reliable as the day is long.

I'm not a chainsaw snob...but I do recommend spending the extra money for a pro-grade saw in any manufacturers line up (if you will use the saw much).

In my neck of the woods we have an equal amount of Stihl, Husqvarna and Echo dealers. So service (if needed) is not an issue...but I can see where it might influence others.

I do ALL repair work on my saws anyway and none have ever seen the inside of repair shop or dealer. Stihl and Husky are both great saws. But I'd also take the time to look at what Echo offers. A lot of saw for the money in most cases.

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Agreed damn it’s hard to choose think I have my mind made up thennnn. Really any saw will prob do a fine job if treated well. Like Japanese’s tractor can’t say why they wouldn’t make good chainsaws. It all comes down to preference

 

[GrassLakeRon]

My brother and I in 1996 bought our saws. His is a Stihl and my a husky. He has had to rebuild his saw 3 times, mine only once when he dropped a 30" round oak on it. He had to borrow my saw to clear his property because his was in the shop. In the end I love my saw. She has never let me down.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Agreed damn it’s hard to choose think I have my mind made up thennnn. Really any saw will prob do a fine job if treated well. Like Japanese’s tractor can’t say why they wouldn’t make good chainsaws. It all comes down to preference

You'll like whichever saw you get. I've used a bunch of different saws in the 32-60cc range, Craftsman, Poulan, McCullough, Huskq, Stihl, Echo, over the years. But only in the last few years did I buy a pro quality saw and I can confirm your decision to go that way. They are so much more reliable and smoother running that they're a joy to operate (compared to a homeowner saw).

I bought a Makita, previously Sachs Dolmar, 50 cc pro version (in Makita blue). Makita no longer makes gas tools, so it's an orphan. It has a magnesium case, about 1/2 hp more than the rancher model, and a few more pro features. I haven't used it much, but it starts easily, is well balanced with a 20" bar, and cuts like a demon for its size.

 

[Mitjam]

You'll like whichever saw you get. I've used a bunch of different saws in the 32-60cc range, Craftsman, Poulan, McCullough, Huskq, Stihl, Echo, over the years. But only in the last few years did I buy a pro quality saw and I can confirm your decision to go that way. They are so much more reliable and smoother running that they're a joy to operate (compared to a homeowner saw).

I bought a Makita, previously Saks Dolmar, 50 cc pro version (in Makita blue). Makita no longer makes gas tools, so it's an orphan. It has a magnesium case, about 1/2 hp more than the rancher model, and a few more pro features. I haven't used it much, but it starts easily, is well balanced with a 20" bar, and cuts like a demon for its size.

Thank you. Ya I don’t mind spending extra money for a tool that will hopefully last. Im probably going to with the stihl but dealers can’t get any right now.

 

[MOOTS]

Thank you. Ya I don’t mind spending extra money for a tool that will hopefully last. Im probably going to with the stihl but dealers can’t get any right now.

To throw something else into the mix, I have a 2021 NIB 372oe, non xtorq I’d sell ya. I bought a pair from Malaysia a few years back. Been using one for firewood. This one has never been fueled or oiled.

It is a low top, but the high top stuff can be ordered. I swapped the one I kept over.

 

[Mitjam]

To throw something else into the mix, I have a 2021 NIB 372oe, non xtorq I’d sell ya. I bought a pair from Malaysia a few years back. Been using one for firewood. This one has never been fueled or oiled.
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It is a low top, but the high top stuff can be ordered. I swapped the one I kept over.
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If I was closer to you maybe I would I do like those 372. Being that I’m Canadian I would have to take out a mortgage to afford the exchange difference but I appreciate the offer. Lots of guys say that was the best saw husqvarna ever made

 

[MOOTS]

If I was closer to you maybe I would I do like those 372. Being that I’m Canadian I would have to take out a mortgage to afford the exchange difference but I appreciate the offer. Lots of guys say that was the best saw husqvarna ever made

Didn’t realize you were way up there!

 

[Mitjam]

Didn’t realize you were way up there!

Unfortunately yes sir.

 

[MOOTS]

Unfortunately yes sir.

I recently picked up this 550 mk1 off marketplace for $60. Ordered a top cover and clutch cover off eBay. Piston looks good through exhaust. She’s a runner. Still have to get a bar and chain and some other small bits.

Obviously haven’t used it yet, but it does seem light and nimble.

I think you’ll be happy with either saw.

 

[Mitjam]

I recently picked up this 550 mk1 off marketplace for $60. Ordered a top cover and clutch cover off eBay. Piston looks good through exhaust. She’s a runner. Still have to get a bar and chain and some other small bits.
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Obviously haven’t used it yet, but it does seem light and nimble.

I think you’ll be happy with either saw.

I have to quit watching YouTube videos haha one minute I think husqvarna next stihl next I think I don’t need a pro saw save a couple bucks. I like buckin billy ray smith he quoted “homeowner saw vs pro is like driving a ford focus or mustang which one will make you smile more?”

 

[Mitjam]

I recently picked up this 550 mk1 off marketplace for $60. Ordered a top cover and clutch cover off eBay. Piston looks good through exhaust. She’s a runner. Still have to get a bar and chain and some other small bits.
View attachment 145457
View attachment 145458
Obviously haven’t used it yet, but it does seem light and nimble.

I think you’ll be happy with either saw.

Our Canadian tire stores here carry the 545 mark 2 if they went on sale I would even consider one of them

 

[MOOTS]

I have to quit watching YouTube videos haha one minute I think husqvarna next stihl next I think I don’t need a pro saw save a couple bucks. I like buckin billy ray smith he quoted “homeowner saw vs pro is like driving a ford focus or mustang which one will make you smile more?”

He’s right. Pro saws are just more robust. They are much easier to work on, when needed. I take care of a fleet of pos Stihl 250’s and 271’s, a 462 and most recently a 261 last year.

 

[lugbolt]

if you just like to have a saw around, and you aren't working for a living, echo is a great alternative to husky and stihl, and the echo's are priced a little bit better.

John Deere used to sell saws and they were mostly Echo saws (and handheld lawn equipment) until about 98 or so, when they went to mostly mitsubishi engines. Deere had some good stuff. The 66SV was an Echo 610, probably my personal favorite but good luck finding one. Heavy, and don't cut quite as fast as newer stuff but still my personal favorite. Twin cylinder 60cc I believe.

I personally use and have been using a Poulan, had it since 2001 and it still starts, cuts, stops, drinks fuel and oil just the same way it did in 2001 when I got it new. I don't see a need to spend a lot of money on a tool that I will use once or twice a year at most. From 01-12 I used the daylights out of it. House I lived in was owned by a guy who owned a construction company. House was heated mostly by wood stove. We had all the oak and hickory trees we ever wanted so I'd go cut wood from about Feb through april, split, and stack it ready for the next winter. I don't miss doing that. Since then I still use my saw a couple times a year. Used it yesterday cutting up a few HW pallets that we need the slats out of for campfire wood.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

Stihl. But I've never owned a Husqvarna. So Take this with a grain of salt and some well mixed 2 stroke fuel.

I own a tree farm and forest. My go-to saw for small projects is my Milwaukee M18 electric. It rides in my trucks tool boxes everyday, all the time, for tree fall. No muss, no fuss, no fuel... slap in a charged battery and it's cutting time. For bigger projects it's one of my Stihls, and my Echo Timberwolf still gets used. Echo makes some great 2 stroke equipment.

That being said; If most of your local dealers are Stihl. Go Stihl. I think Stihl is still financially solvent. Husqvarna is going more and more chinese-ium with their motorcycles and that is too bad. Maybe with their chain saws too, but I don't know. I am Swedish (and German) by heritage, but even with that, I don't know if I would buy a Husky these days. I will buy Swedish, if it's still Swedish. German if it's still German. But not Swedish or German if it's from China. I try not to pay Euro (or American) quality prices for Chinese products.

But they all (Stihl, Echo, Milwaukee, Poulan) leak bar oil from my experience. Every one.

One may ask why I use Milwaukee electric cordless and not Stihls cordless electric offerings? ... It's because Milwaukee is way cheaper to buy and Milwaukee has been doing cordless electric for a lot longer. Plus my home is in Wisconsin... LOL.

Be well. Kubota on.

 

[Mitjam]

Stihl. But I've never owned a Husqvarna. So Take this with a grain of salt and some well mixed 2 stroke fuel.

I own a tree farm and forest. My go-to saw for small projects is my Milwaukee M18 electric. It rides in my trucks tool boxes everyday, all the time, for tree fall. No muss, no fuss, no fuel... slap in a charged battery and it's cutting time. For bigger projects it's one of my Stihls, and my Echo Timberwolf still gets used. Echo makes some great 2 stroke equipment.

That being said; If most of your local dealers are Stihl. Go Stihl. I think Stihl is still financially solvent. Husqvarna is going more and more chinese-ium with their motorcycles and that is too bad. Maybe with their chain saws too, but I don't know. I am Swedish (and German) by heritage, but even with that, I don't know if I would buy a Husky these days. I will buy Swedish, if it's still Swedish. German if it's still German. But not Swedish or German if it's from China. I try not to pay Euro (or American) quality prices for Chinese products.

But they all (Stihl, Echo, Milwaukee, Poulan) leak bar oil from my experience. Every one.

One may ask why I use Milwaukee electric cordless and not Stihls cordless electric offerings? ... It's because Milwaukee is way cheaper to buy and Milwaukee has been doing cordless electric for a lot longer. Plus my home is in Wisconsin... LOL.

Be well. Kubota on.

I too have a Milwaukee chainsaw love it limbing and bucking up small amounts of wood. I have the 12, 9, 8 amp hour batteries. Usually by the time those or depleted so am I. But you start cutting anything over that 8” diameter sure uses that battery up.

 

[Mitjam]

if you just like to have a saw around, and you aren't working for a living, echo is a great alternative to husky and stihl, and the echo's are priced a little bit better.

John Deere used to sell saws and they were mostly Echo saws (and handheld lawn equipment) until about 98 or so, when they went to mostly mitsubishi engines. Deere had some good stuff. The 66SV was an Echo 610, probably my personal favorite but good luck finding one. Heavy, and don't cut quite as fast as newer stuff but still my personal favorite. Twin cylinder 60cc I believe.

I personally use and have been using a Poulan, had it since 2001 and it still starts, cuts, stops, drinks fuel and oil just the same way it did in 2001 when I got it new. I don't see a need to spend a lot of money on a tool that I will use once or twice a year at most. From 01-12 I used the daylights out of it. House I lived in was owned by a guy who owned a construction company. House was heated mostly by wood stove. We had all the oak and hickory trees we ever wanted so I'd go cut wood from about Feb through april, split, and stack it ready for the next winter. I don't miss doing that. Since then I still use my saw a couple times a year. Used it yesterday cutting up a few HW pallets that we need the slats out of for campfire wood.

Dad has an old homelite geez older than me. That thing is anything but home “light”. No vibration it just makes my hands numb so fast. Dad laughs and says that’s a man’s saw all we had back then haha

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

My brother and I in 1996 bought our saws. His is a Stihl and my a husky. He has had to rebuild his saw 3 times, mine only once when he dropped a 30" round oak on it. He had to borrow my saw to clear his property because his was in the shop. In the end I love my saw. She has never let me down.

What model numbers did you and he get?

....Milwaukee M18 electric...for tree fall....For bigger projects it's one of my Stihls, and my Echo Timberwolf still gets used.

....Husqvarna is going more and more chinese-ium... Maybe with their chain saws too, but I don't know....I try not to pay Euro (or American) quality prices for Chinese products.

But they all (Stihl, Echo, Milwaukee, Poulan) leak bar oil from my experience. Every one.

Milwaukee Electric Power Tools is now Chinese owned (I'm just down the road from corporate) though they make the best and most reliable battery powered saws in my opinion. High torque, cuts fast, no safety to reset every cut, batteries can be used in other tools, and they're very reliable saws that don't break easily unlike other battery saws.

The ECHO Timberwolf is an incredible saw for the money; there are a few plastic parts that regularly fail in tree work but replacement cost is reasonable, and they have incredible power for the size, weight, and price. While other ECHO saws weigh slightly more that tends to also mean (in this case) they're built stronger and last longer.

Husqvarna Corporate announced years back they were building a production facility in China and have since built at least a second and possibly a third. Quality was still good until COVID, then things started becoming unreliable. Older saws are still good and so are many of the newer saws but the quality on any one new saw is hit-or-miss. China has a lot of internal issues affecting why this is happening so consistent quality control is beyond their control.

Chainsaw chain oiler pumps leak because b.) the pump shaft or seals are worn and oil leaks past, but mainly a.) the oil tank isn't completely full. When the saw cools, air in the oil tank contracts drawing fresh air in through a one-way valve. When the outdoor or indoor temperature warms up air in the oil tank expands and pressurizes the oil tank pushing oil past the pump shaft and out the chain oil port. To minimize this fill the oil tank completely and if possible store the saw somewhere where the temperature is relatively constant.


(oil pump, disassembled)

 

[Mitjam]

What model numbers did you and he get?


Milwaukee Electric Power Tools is now Chinese owned (I'm just down the road from corporate) though they make the best and most reliable battery powered saws in my opinion. High torque, cuts fast, no safety to reset every cut, batteries can be used in other tools, and they're very reliable saws that don't break easily unlike other battery saws.

The ECHO Timberwolf is an incredible saw for the money; there are a few plastic parts that regularly fail in tree work but replacement cost is reasonable, and they have incredible power for the size, weight, and price. While other ECHO saws weigh slightly more that tends to also mean (in this case) they're built stronger and last longer.

Husqvarna Corporate announced years back they were building a production facility in China and have since built at least a second and possibly a third. Quality was still good until COVID, then things started becoming unreliable. Older saws are still good and so are many of the newer saws but the quality on any one new saw is hit-or-miss. China has a lot of internal issues affecting why this is happening so consistent quality control is beyond their control.

Chainsaw chain oiler pumps leak because b.) the pump shaft or seals are worn and oil leaks past, but mainly a.) the oil tank isn't completely full. When the saw cools, air in the oil tank contracts drawing fresh air in through a one-way valve. When the outdoor or indoor temperature warms up air in the oil tank expands and pressurizes the oil tank pushing oil past the pump shaft and out the chain oil port. To minimize this fill the oil tank completely and if possible store the saw somewhere where the temperature is relatively constant.

View attachment 145481
(oil pump, disassembled)

More I read and listen to people they are all good in their own right. If I do get an echo I would like the 4910 but new 4920 model is replacing them. By video I seen almost get a pro saw build except for a couple items for at least 200cnd cheaper than the pro saw 501p

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

More I read and listen to people they are all good in their own right. If I do get an echo I would like the 4910 but new 4920 model is replacing them. By video I seen almost get a pro saw build except for a couple items for at least 200cnd cheaper than the pro saw 501p

They seem to be decent ProSumer saws, the 4910 being a bit more "pro" and 4920 having more power and more weight due to the strato configuration. 50cc and an 18" hardwood is a situation where the chain better be really sharp, ECHO claims it'll cut up to 32" (cutting half from one side, half from the other side), but that's work for a bigger saw, and if it's the only saw a guy has and he's cutting more than 18" (where the engine is loaded for longer periods of time) it should probably be pulled from the cut every 5 seconds or so to flood the bar with cool oil and powerhead with cool air (Buckin' Billy Ray does this regularly with McCullough saws if you want a good demonstration on that).

For the price either saw is a lot of saw!

Personally I prefer outboard rim sprockets because they're fast to change chains and/or sprockets on, though I cut mainly twisty windfalls so that and putting a thrown chain on is more important than when cutting firewood--just something to realize if it affects you personally.