STIHL MSA 300 First Impressions

[STIHL GB]

22 minutes ago, Blah said:

The main question I have is, how does it compare to Husky's 540 iXP rear-handled saw. I invested in the Stihl MSA160 and MSA 200 when they first came out, with an AP200 and AP300 battery.

 

I then wanted the extra power the Husky T540 iXP top-handle gave, so bought that with two BLi 300 batteries. That saw is much more powerful than the MSA 200, and in my opinion better than my 201 tcm. 

 

I like the idea of a battery MSA261, but absolutely not going to invest in two new batteries again, and doubtless a new charger.

I'd rather not comment on head to head tests against other manufacturers machines, but I'm certain there will be plenty of tests  once we release the chainsaw next month.  Also, we have a MSA 220 T and MSA 220 TC-O top handle chainsaw coming out later this year too, that work best with the AP 300 S battery, but can also use AP 300, albeit with the power of the MSA 200 rather than 220. All AP batteries can be charged on STIHL AL chargers too. 

[STIHL GB]

1 hour ago, AHPP said:

Confusing mishmash. Get some scales and weigh the powerheads, the oil fills, the fuel fills, the batteries, the bars and the chains SEPARATELY. It only needs doing once (and once in a blue moon for a new product release) and it’ll cost you less than frustrated customers shutting the catalogue on a new saw because they can’t get a straight answer. It’s such an easy bunch of numbers to collect and show and frankly embarrassing that you don’t already.

I would suggest you could even compile the weights from your computer system and not have to open a load of boxes but after about ten phone calls to Camberley and Germany last year to try to discover the weight of a bar (not a complicated enquiry), I’m not confident that’s the quickest way. I ended up getting a dealer to put one on a kitchen scale.

Sorry but that was the info I had to hand whilst answering all the questions on here,  but I agree it's not ideal and the exact head to head you want. I'll try to get the full info asap for you. 

[Joe Newton]

3 hours ago, STIHL GB said:

Hi Joe, it's good you point it out. Muscle memory soon takes over and it becomes completely natural, but of course if you just pick the saw up and use it for the first time it takes a little getting used to. It does stay on (live) for a short while before deactivating, and is easy to reach. Thanks. Paul, STIHL GB. 

Cheers for your reply Paul. I was probably a bit quick to condemn it with out actually trying it.

 

As a long term saw user certain safety features (like the extra button on the 161) put me right off as they affect the fluidity of use when you're making lots of cuts. The one I mentioned on the 161 makes left handed use quite awkward.

 

I understand why you need to have them though, and you could certainly argue that with safe working practices it shouldn't be an issue, but from a real world context its definitely quite annoying not being able to just pull the brake back and pull the trigger. 

[STIHL GB]

Here's the weight comparisons broken down with about 1kg total difference fully fuelled and oiled. @AHPP

 

MS 261 C-M:
Powerhead 4.9kg
Oil tank capacity: 310ml = approx 310 g
Fuel tank capacity: 500ml = approx 500g
Light 04 bar 16": 679g
RS Pro chain: approx 250g
Total approx: 6.6kg

 

MSA 300:
Powerhead and AP 500 S battery: 6.4kg
Oil tank capacity: 310ml = approx 310g
Light 04 bar 16": 679g
RS Pro chain: approx 250g 
total approx: 7.6kg

 

Edited March 11, 2022 by STIHL GB

[Piston Skirt]

21 hours ago, Steve Bullman said:

 

Easy maintenance of the air filter

Yep you read that right. Another first from STIHL is the introduction of an air filter to their battery chainsaw.

Industry 2nd, to be honest.

 

Otherwise yes, an impressive chainsaw, especially for the companies that need to operate in the areas where IC equipment usage is restricted/prohibited.

[Steve Bullman]

5 minutes ago, Piston Skirt said:

Industry 2nd, to be honest.

 

Otherwise yes, an impressive chainsaw, especially for the companies that need to operate in the areas where IC equipment usage is restricted/prohibited.

What was the first?

[Piston Skirt]

3 minutes ago, Steve Bullman said:

What was the first?

 

ECHO DCS-1600 (and now it's successor DCS-3500). Also DCS-2500T with a mesh.

 

 

And yes, dense mesh is considered an air filter by Stihl themselves - see FSA 135 for reference:

 

[AHPP]

2 hours ago, STIHL GB said:

Sorry but that was the info I had to hand whilst answering all the questions on here,  but I agree it's not ideal and the exact head to head you want. I'll try to get the full info asap for you. 

 

1 hour ago, STIHL GB said:

Here's the weight comparisons broken down with about 1kg total difference fully fuelled and oiled. @AHPP

 

MS 261 C-M:
Powerhead 4.9kg
Oil tank capacity: 310ml = approx 310 g
Fuel tank capacity: 500ml = approx 500g
Light 04 bar 16": 679g
RS Pro chain: approx 250g
Total approx: 6.6kg

 

MSA 300:
Powerhead and AP 500 S battery: 6.4kg
Oil tank capacity: 310ml = approx 310g
Light 04 bar 16": 679g
RS Pro chain: approx 250g 
total approx: 7.6kg

 

Firstly I appreciate that you actually understood the question and got back to me so quickly. Thank you. I'm afraid there's more to it though. I'm not a scientist or a petrol tool manufacturer but I can still tell you without googling it that the specific gravity of petrol is something like 0.73, not 1. Oil is similarly different. Over 500ml and 310ml, does it matter much? No. But considering you're one of the top two saw manufacturers on the planet, being asked a question by a customer, is it worth being wrong by a quarter when you didn't need to be? Also no. Don't guess at stuff. It undermines other stuff you say and your general credibility.

And to be clear, I don't just want to see weights for an MSA300 and an MS261. I want to see weights of all the saws, bars and chains you sell. There's 28 pages in the catalogue for rubber ducks and jenga sets but you haven't found the space for eminently relevant saw specifications. I don't mean to sound unduly critical but customers appreciate detail.

[Mark J]

World one of these be sufficient to run battery saws out in the woods? 
 

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[peds]

1 hour ago, AHPP said:

There's 28 pages in the catalogue for rubber ducks and jenga sets but you haven't found the space for eminently relevant saw specifications. 

Great jenga set though. Compact, smooth. Shame the box is open on one side though.

 

STIHL GB, can I ask if you are planning to bring out a closable box for the jenga set in the future, and will this be available as a standalone purchase or will you have to buy a whole new set?