husky v stihl on raw power only!

[Pbtaylor2014]

Have used 540 but find that my ms200t is more raw grunt I no it's a older saw but love it was thinking of the ms201 but not after the lack of power but haven't used the 560 so can't comment although review of it are great

[Eddy_t]

Hopefully a bit of a slightly different thread husky v stihl thread.

 

 

 

Forgetting about reliability and ergonomics pound for pound which machine has the best all out power in real life. Ie forget what you see printed in a catalogue, users of both machines only please as stihl has the slight edge on paper but blows husky out of the water at the 661 stage!

 

 

 

So,

 

T540xp v ms201tcm

 

550xp v ms261

 

560xp v ms362

 

372xp v ms441

 

395xp v ms661

 

3120xp v ms880

 

 

 

I doubt the 576xp can compete with the 461 but if it can thoughts on that would be appreciated.

 

 

540 v 201 - 540 is faster, 201 has more torque (I own a 201M)

550 v 261 - I rate neither, but put the 550 above all versions of the 261, it's gutless!

560 v 362 - 560 is a flying machine, but again, Stihl has it beat on bottom end pulling power!

372 v 441 - used both, both are excellent saws, I would say not much in it, others may differ but I would say these 2 saws are evenly matched

576 v 461 - Stihl wins this one, much greater bottom end and pulling power

395 v 661 is difficult to compare, 395 is normal 2-stroke, 661 is a strato. The 395 also has a larger displacement (marginally), but is supplied with silly bars. I feel the 395 handles and pulls better, but for ease of use, the 661 has it beat all day. You could have compared the 390xp here, which whilst having less torque, has a better top end, is more ergonomic (IMO) and with a few mods (carb, jungle muffler) will match pulling power happily.

3120 v 880 - this is the only husky I have no experience of, I prefer that it has a manual oiler compared to the 880, but the 880 is just power!

 

Yes, I know you said to just focus on power, but how a good running saw handles and where on the rpm band the user will sit is just as important. A light handed user cutting softwoods all day wouldn't want a lower power banded saw, likewise, a heavy-handed hardwood cutter wouldn't want top-end power band.

[MattyF]

I think it has and it always will be the case that across the board husky's have the speed and the stihl's have the torque, how to get the best out of the saw will be down to how the operator uses it to there advantage or disadvantage I would say stihl's are fool proof , getting the power to work for you with a husky I see a lot of operators struggle personally I would not use anything other than the husky's and I have the choice of the above line up for work bar the 3120 and 661.

[miker]

i wonder how this would look if we wound the clock back 15/18 years ?

254,262,266 , 281/288 etc,could be a new thread, ive no experience of top handles but i think husky ruled the day back then with ground saws

just my opinion

[Stubby]

i wonder how this would look if we wound the clock back 15/18 years ?

254,262,266 , 281/288 etc,could be a new thread, ive no experience of top handles but i think husky ruled the day back then with ground saws

just my opinion

 

Agreed . 254 was the bread and butter saw for hand cutters back then ..

[MattyF]

i wonder how this would look if we wound the clock back 15/18 years ?

254,262,266 , 281/288 etc,could be a new thread, ive no experience of top handles but i think husky ruled the day back then with ground saws

just my opinion

 

 

We switched to all stihl back then after getting a years service out of 262's,266's and not a good life out of a 3120 switching to 340's 460's 066 and 088 seemed and was the best thing to do... I also think back then there was a lot more hand cutters coming in to tree surgery as forestry was on its knees for hand cutters keeping husky in the game.

I always missed the 262's though and when I started buying my own saws first off was a 357xpg and that was the start of a swap back to husky, better anti vibes and power delivery, I think the 560's are probably one of the best saws made I've used despite the problems of the early models.

[spudulike]

We switched to all stihl back then after getting a years service out of 262's,266's and not a good life out of a 3120 switching to 340's 460's 066 and 088 seemed and was the best thing to do... I also think back then there was a lot more hand cutters coming in to tree surgery as forestry was on its knees for hand cutters keeping husky in the game.

I always missed the 262's though and when I started buying my own saws first off was a 357xpg and that was the start of a swap back to husky, better anti vibes and power delivery, I think the 560's are probably one of the best saws made I've used despite the problems of the early models.

 

How is the beast going Matt, Martin said it was hanging together well and going like stink:thumbup:..................that's the 560!

[MattyF]

It's going well mate .... It's a madder than a standard one for sure, compressions up , just replaced another starter housing as its chewed one up again.

[spudulike]

It's going well mate .... It's a madder than a standard one for sure, compressions up , just replaced another starter housing as its chewed one up again.

 

That's good news considering the cylinder was close to being shagged when I got it. Engines tend to bed in and produce extra compression after many hours, even damaged ones get bedded in as long as they can make enough compression.

 

Glad all is good with it after the work Martin and I put in:thumbup:

[Mark_Skyland]

Thanks for all the replies and detailed information, especially since its another stihl v husky thread!

 

I have used quite a few husky and stihl saws in the past, mainly stihl. Probably due to the fact that being an arb you needed to have an 020, plus the reliability and useability of the 026, 046 ,066 is legendary.

 

Thats why I wanted to ask, when it gets down to it which is the most powerful saw in its class.

 

Usability does play a big part but I just prefed power over ergonomics to get through a job.