Cordless saw: Stihl MSA 300 vs. 200?

[Al Gordita]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm buying my first chainsaw and have decided that a battery model is the sensible choice, as I work in an urban environment and try and get around on a cargo bike rather than in a car.

 

So I'm looking at two Stihls and wonder if people have any thoughts: Is the new MSA 300 worth getting over the MSA 200? They both seem like decent saws for what I need - I want to be able to use it on larger limbs in people's gardens, as well as for more heavy-duty arb work. My concern is that the 200 may not be as powerful/versatile - as far as I can work out it only takes a 14" inch bar?

 

Do people have experience using these and any thoughts they could share?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Al

[Rough Cutter]

https://www.husqvarna.com/uk/chainsaws/petrol-chainsaws/

[GarethM]

Isn't the Stihl also power depending on the battery used

[peds]

Not played with a 300, and don't know exactly what you mean by "heavy-duty arb work", but you'd likely be disappointed with both options if you mean genuinely heavy duty.

 

That said, I love my 200, it does exactly what I ask of it, and I recommend them to anyone who asks.

 

But yeah...clarification needed as to what you define as heavy duty!

[Muddy42]

If you genuinely need more than a 14 inch bar, get a small petrol saw.

[GarethM]

Plus realistically how much time do you cut for, as you'll be needing plenty of batteries for more than a hour or two a day.

[Steven P]

Do you have a maximum budget?

 

Difference in price is about £300? which is the 200 + a couple of batteries. Slightly less power but more cutting time? 

 

How much do you expect to cut in a day? 

[Gordon S]

I can't comment on MSA200 or 300 but I've used an MSA220 and was surprised how well it cut.

 

Price wise I think it's only a small step (£50ish) over a 200  but I decent bit more powerful.

 

 

[maybelateron]

I have a MSA 220, with 14 inch bar. It is our saw of choice these days until we need a bit more power. I have felled a 14 inch basal diameter ash with it when we did an early morning start. Chain was sharp and coped, but I would not want to do this regularly. Ideal saw for snedding and smaller fells. No experience of the 300 version myself.

[Mark_Skyland]

If you do buy the MSA 300 then remember you need the AP 500 S or it will only run on half revs.

A customer of ours has the 300 and the 220, although he says the 300 has plenty of power the 220 gets used way more often.