Cordless saw: Stihl MSA 300 vs. 200?

[Stere]

Its  confusing mixing imperial and metric and various gauges and pitch combinations in both fraction and decimals

 

 

Wouldn't  say .325 1.1mm or maybe 1.3mm full chisel suit better?

 

As a ms261 does well on .325 1.3mm so why have a  battery saw on 3/8 a longer pitch but with a narrower kerf?

 

Bascially i don't get the ideas of of a 3/8 picco - a combi of a bigger pitch but narrow gauge as doesn't the pitch it make it more  grabby?

 

Like the tpi on a hand saw or silky....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 12 by Stere

[AHPP]

8 minutes ago, Stere said:

Its  confusing mixing imperial and metric and various gauges and pitch combinations in both fraction and decimals

 

 

Wouldn't  say .325 1.1mm or maybe 1.3mm full chisel suit better?

 

As a ms261 does well on .325 1.3mm so why have a  battery saw on 3/8 a longer pitch but with a narrower kerf?

 

Bascially i don't get the ideas of of a 3/8 picco - a combi of a bigger pitch but narrow gauge as doesn't the pitch it make it more  grabby?

 

Like the tpi on a hand saw or silky....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whereas I quite like 3/8 picco 1.3. Dad and I have the same bar and chain combo across three saws (battery, mains electric, petrol). Absolutely smooth enough.

 

To my mind, .325 is the pointless one. Stihl 231, 241 and 251 are all the same class of saw but the 251 awkwardly comes with .325 instead of 3/8 picco. Then it’s only the 261 that comes on .325 before you hit proper 3/8 for 60cc and up. I don’t think .325 needs to exist. Can only assume the tooling for making the chain was so expensive that they need to make the machines run for another fifty years to justify them.  

 

And likewise if this 3/8 picco 1.1mm full chisel works like I hope it does on the 2511, 151 and battery pruner type saws, I can’t see why the world needs 1/4 picco and its annoying little files. 
 

[AHPP]

And while we’re at it, saws. Why does the world need 231, 241 and 251? Just make one prosumer 45cc saw. Likewise the 291 and 391 farmer saws. They’re the same displacement as existing pro saws. Just have those. Unnecessary bloody stuff. 

[doobin]

12 minutes ago, AHPP said:

And while we’re at it, saws. Why does the world need 231, 241 and 251? Just make one prosumer 45cc saw. Likewise the 291 and 391 farmer saws. They’re the same displacement as existing pro saws. Just have those. Unnecessary bloody stuff. 

The 241 is now discontinued, but it was a pro level saw. Very handy for coppicing etc. 

 

basically the power of a 251 with the weight of a 181- plus pro build with magnesium clutch housing etc. 

[Stere]

Well its all  about selling more stuff I suppose but I agree on the  saw models

 

 

 

Having 4 pitches doesn't seem  that excessive though to me considring the range of saw sizes.....

 

Maybe should all be .404 just checked it isn't that much more...

 

 

 

 

[AHPP]

Chain, guide bar and sprocket identification - Chainsawbars

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Identifying a chain, guide bar and sprocket on a chainsaw can be tricky. Use our guide to easily take you...

 

Useful link for anyone struggling to follow this. 

[AHPP]

50 minutes ago, Stere said:

Well its all  about selling more stuff I suppose but I agree on the  saw models

 

 

 

Having 4 pitches doesn't seem  that excessive though to me considring the range of saw sizes.....

 

Maybe should all be .404 just checked it isn't that much more...

 

 

 

 

 

.404 could just as easily be replaced with ‘3/8 big profile’ in the same way that 3/8 low profile (picco) is the same pitch as normal 3/8 but smaller in other dimensions.
 

So you’d have:

3/8 low profile

3/8 normal

3/8 big profile

 

And then narrow/wide options if you really must.

Why did nobody ask me before doing all the confusing bollocks we currently endure?

 

3/8 low profile narrow up to 10”

3/8 low profile wide 12-18”

3/8 normal 20-48”

3/8 big profile for bigger and harvesters

 

Right. Done. Sell that or gulag.

[AHPP]

[Macpherson]

On 11/05/2025 at 10:14, peds said:

 

You went 14"? I'm torn between sticking with the current 12", as I've been using it mostly up a tree, and will continue to do so; or squeezing in another couple of inches. Which will definitely have an impact on battery life.

Yep 14", but it's not a big cost to have both.

[peds]

True that, I'll see if there's a need for it in the future.