Which 50cc saw?

[Saw-sick Steve]

Need a new saw so thought I'd pick yer collective brains. I don't use a saw day in day out as of old but still a frequent user, and need a good pro mid-range saw to replace my 346. Tempted to just go for a Husky 550xp but heard of  problems with auto-tune, so what are the other options? Would consider Dolmar, Echo, Makita, anything else? Ta in advance.

[stihlmadasever]

Another 346xp,or if you cant get one a stihl 261.

 

[aesmith]

14 hours ago, stihlmadasever said:

Another 346xp,or if you cant get one a stihl 261.

 

Are the MS261 bearing issues sorted now?  If so do you know roughly when they got fixed, I mean for example did it affect the M-Tronic models as well as the original?

[stihlmadasever]

As far as im aware the newer 261m tronic models have no needle bearing issues.

Our have been bullet proof little saws.

Run ours on a 16 with full chisel chains

?

[aesmith]

About an hour after my post I got a reply from Stihl to this same question, in essence they report a revised clutch drum was introduced mid 2016, and they suggest fitting this together with a new bearing.  

[htb]

Why replace 346, send to spud for rebuilt/pimping or is it completely u/s.

If you like the 346 I may have one for sale

[Rough Hewn]

Husky 346 is a cracking little saw, but prefer my stihl 261.
It's a 2017 mtronic, needle bearings are no problem.
Send your 346 to spud, you'll have a better saw and will cost less than a new one.
[emoji106]

[carlos]

the echo 501sx is a good saw if you prefer something without modern autotune, that said we have a few autotune saws at work and havent had many problems with them really.

[Guss109]

Why replace 346, send to spud for rebuilt/pimping or is it completely u/s.
If you like the 346 I may have one for sale

Oh you kept that very quiet [emoji50] could well be tempted

[htb]

3 minutes ago, Guss109 said:

 

 

Oh you kept that very quiet could well be tempted

 

 

But you have a 550, you trying to catch up on my saw count