Chainsaw for small woodland

[Vedhoggar]

For the management of a small area of woodland as described the MS 251 will do the job with a 35 cm (14" bar) as would the more expensive MS 241 professional saw, the MS 261 is suitable for felling small as well as medium sized trees but if you will be working on trees under 38 cm dia as you say then go for a smaller less expensive saw. There is sufficient power in both the MS 251 and MS 241 for the sort of work described, you wouldn't need the more powerful and more expensive MS 261. The MS 241 is the lightest of the three saws (0.5 kg lighter than the MS 261 in fact), has the lowest vibration level and being a professional saw is built to last longer however MS 261 is the way to go though if you intend to fell medium sized trees in future but go for the lightest saw that's going to meet your requirements.

[pleasant]

If you need a saw to earn you money and its your go to main saw, then best avoid the plastic bodied domestic range stihls.....i am referring to models up to the ms251. They are a domestic hobby saw and are not designed for the hours, use and abuse a saw that is used to earn money is. I will contradict myself slightly by saying the farmer range is the minimum you should be looking at in stihl...so the ms291 and 391. Same cheap plastic clamshell construction but designed for a bit heavier  work, But heavy and power to weight is crap. Like others have said if it were my money the ms261 would be where i would start. 

[adw]

All this talk of Stihl, why not a Husqvarna 545 .

[Stubby]

1 minute ago, adw said:

All this talk of Stihl, why not a Husqvarna 545 .

Good shout .

[htb]

346

[Stubby]

1 minute ago, htb said:

346

If you can get one !

[adw]

Good ones are few and far between, you need to know what you are looking for with a used machine.

[htb]

1 minute ago, Stubby said:

If you can get one !

No I have 5. Thanks

[openspaceman]

3 minutes ago, adw said:

All this talk of Stihl, why not a Husqvarna 545 .

I was going to stay out of this but I agree, whilst the Husky 550 and the Stihl 261 would be the professional choice for carrying around all day and felling, snedding and cross cutting pole sized trees the 545 is entirely adequate and cheaper plus being less revvy should last a bit better. It's only when you start cutting rounds for firewood over a foot diameter that it's worth having the grunt of a 60cc saw.

[Peter 1955]

7 hours ago, Dan Maynard said:

I'd stump up the extra and get a 261, no more weight but lots more power, much better and tougher saw as design for pro rather than domestic use. On a 16" great in the woods.

I'd agree totally. I "upgraded" an ancient 023 to a 251 years ago. I never liked it, slow to warm up, lacking in power. I've put up with it till last year, when I bit the bullet and got a 261. 

The reason why I got the 261, even though the 251 seems to have eventually bedded in, or I've got used to it? On the advice of folk on here who know these things, I bought a 400 to replace an even older 038. After using that, I had to have the 261. They're both a joy to use, I reckon either would suit you, but if you are rarely going to need a 20" bar, the 261 would be my choice. 

The one thing I would say is be very careful about buying a used chainsaw privately. I'd only do that from a dealer.