I used the search and didn't find much.

I'm in the market for a chain saw to use around the deer lease and house. I'd say medium use.

So far in my research, the Stihl ms 271 and the Husqvarna 450 are the ones that come up the most.

Any thoughts on those or any others in the same price range?

What is the best all around bar size?

I'd go with the Stihl MS 271 Farm Boss. It is very similar to the old MS 290, which has been discontinued. I have two Stihl MS 290's, both since 2005 when Hurricane Rita blew through our area. They have been as good of an investment as I've ever made. Both still running strong and I will never buy another brand of chainsaw. As for the bar, I have 20" bars on both. They come in handy when cutting up big oaks for fire wood.

I used to sell Stihl equipment, so I may be a little biased. I think they're the best saws out there.

By far the most popular saw we sold was the 271 Farm Boss. It's right at your budget. If you wanted to step back one notch you go with the 251 Wood Boss. Not quite as popular, but still a very capable saw. We run a few 271s at our place and they're solid. They're used weekly and we keep them tuned up and chains sharp and they work well.

I have a Husqvarna I got from my FIL that works great. I generally go Stihl on most equipment (weed eater and blower). You can't go wrong with Stihl.

STIHL

You can't go wrong.

I second the STIHL recommendation

Gigemags05 said:

---

I used the search and didn't find much.

I'm in the market for a chain saw to use around the deer lease and house. I'd say medium use.

So far in my research, the Stihl ms 271 and the Husqvarna 450 are the ones that come up the most.

Any thoughts on those or any others in the same price range?

What is the best all around bar size?

---

Medium use - can't go wrong with either. Best all around bar size in my opinion is 18"

My Stihl and my dad's Stihl both leak oil like a sieve. Put a towel under it in the case and it is soaked with oil in a week. Dad got an Echo that leaks no oil at all. Wondering if all the Stihl fans here experience the same issue.

RAB87 said:

---

My Stihl and my dad's Stihl both leak oil like a sieve. Put a towel under it in the case and it is soaked with oil in a week. Dad got an Echo that leaks no oil at all. Wondering if all the Stihl fans here experience the same issue.

---

We use LOTs of equipment and power tools. Can say with certainty that the brands which have outstanding reputations we've had issues with certain ones and brands that are seen as junk that we've bought as disposable have had some items last years of heavy, brutal use with no problems.

The only thing I'll go on the record as an absolute is that Samsung has no idea how to make an ice maker.

Samsung ice makers blow goats.

Total thread derail.

Oh yeah, all my saws are Stihl. Farm use. Good saws.

We use stihl ms180 for basic trimming and shrub removal and it works great. Stihl has great customer service and warranty coverage

Old RV Ag said:

---

RAB87 said:

---

My Stihl and my dad's Stihl both leak oil like a sieve. Put a towel under it in the case and it is soaked with oil in a week. Dad got an Echo that leaks no oil at all. Wondering if all the Stihl fans here experience the same issue.

---

We use LOTs of equipment and power tools. Can say with certainty that the brands which have outstanding reputations we've had issues with certain ones and brands that are seen as junk that we've bought as disposable have had some items last years of heavy, brutal use with no problems.

The only thing I'll go on the record as an absolute is that Samsung has no idea how to make an ice maker.

---

Nothing but truth with the Samsung comment. They're so bad that its like they did it on purpose.

We run Stihl at our place, but honestly I have nothing to compare it to. No complaints though.

I have a stihl 271. It does leak oil. Needs a tune up more often than it should. Can be a MFer to get started at times. Once running, it idles and cuts good.

I had a Stihl 211 that did the same thing. It didn't matter which way that I stored it, the bar oil would leak. I finally took it in and the tank had a crack at the seam and the repair bill was more than the saw was worth. Apparently there was a recall and I missed it? So I would just drain the oil out after every use.

If you can bump your budget up $50, the 291 has more power in the same frame as the farm boss.

The Stihl MS 211C has served me well.

Love my Echo. Bought it on recommendation from a dual Stihl/Echo dealer. At the time, about 5-6 years ago when I bought it the owner and head mechanic at the dealer said that Echo made a better light to average use chainsaw, but for average to heavy use Stihl was better. The Echo starts easy every darn time. It does leak a little lube oil though.

Echo's 2 Cycle oil is just plain good stuff.

Had a 251 for years loved it. Was one of the best power to weight ratio. The 271 is nice but a little heavy for my liking. Sold the 251 and got the 261 same weight with a bigger engine. Love the 261, have wanted one for years. A little above the bidget but worth it in my opinion for quality, power and resale of it came to that.

Well, I appreciate all the replies and now I'm even more conflicted.

Every single online review and comparison favors the Husqvarna 450. All of them.

And of course the OB favors the Stihl. To a man.

I'm leaning Stihl just because I trust the name. But it's hard to shake the good reviews of the husky.

Gigemags05 said:

---

Well, I appreciate all the replies and now I'm even more conflicted.

Every single online review and comparison favors the Husqvarna 450. All of them.

And of course the OB favors the Stihl. To a man.

I'm leaning Stihl just because I trust the name. But it's hard to shake the good reviews of the husky.

---

Nope, I gave them equal. Got plenty of Husqvarna equipment and overall extremely happy with them.

Stihl or Echo. I own both and can't say one is much better than the other.

I really like the Echo CS400 (40cc) with an 18" bar for medium use. I took off the carb limiters and ported the muffler to give it a little extra power, but that is not really needed. I've used the little Echo 31cc and the Echo Timberwolf 59cc. The CS400 is in between and IMO a really good combination of weight and power.

I should add the stihl 271 farm boss and echo Timberwolf are very comparable saws. They have plenty of power and are hard to bog down, but really larger than you need for medium work. I look forward to grabbing the medium sized cs400. I can't say the same for the 59cc saws.

Have only owned three chainsaws as an adult, and I'm getting old. Farm boss 20", pole saw, in-tree 14". All stihl. One of the best brands of any product I've ever bought.

I have echo grass trimmers. They are good as well.

Gigemags05 said:

---

Well, I appreciate all the replies and now I'm even more conflicted.

Every single online review and comparison favors the Husqvarna 450. All of them.

And of course the OB favors the Stihl. To a man.

I'm leaning Stihl just because I trust the name. But it's hard to shake the good reviews of the husky.

---

Go put your hands on them. I just did this exact thing a month ago and ended up with the Stihl MS 291. I personally didn't like the feel of the Husqvarna, the plastic just feels more loose to me. I hate the plastic on both, but the Stihl just felt more solid to me.

Two things to add:

Go with the one that has the most convenient dealer to you. You may not need service, but you'll probably need parts and you'll want to be close either way.

I tried to buy a farm boss last year (271). The guy at the shop by me couldn't get it started. He was giving me a little tutorial before I left. I had some place to be, so I told him to mess around with it and I'd be back. Come back two days later and he told me the reason it and the other 271's they had won't start, is they were missing spark plugs. Just didn't get put in. I would have waited for new ones, but he recommends the the 251C. It's got this easy start feature that I really like. It's also a hoss on my land.

The Farm Boss is pretty light compares to others in same class. Its a beast and will cut anything you have. I love mine.

The only real knock I see on the Stihl is that people
Complain it's hard to start. Is that an issue for any of you that have them (other than the ones mentioned above)?

The Husqvarna is supposedly easy to start.

whatever you go with, make sure you budget enough for a decent pair of chainsaw chaps....

Buy a Stihl, Husqvarna or Echo and you'll be fine. If you want something a little more off the wall, look into Holzfforma. Lot of saw for not a lot of price.

Stihl can be hard to start if you don't know how. It isn't as easy as put choke on and pull till it starts, once you know the trick it is easy. My chainsaw, weedeater, and edger are all the same.

I put the choke on full, pull two to three times until you hear a slight change in the sound of engine turnover (hard to explain it is a very subtle difference I just know it when I hear it) then go to half choke and starts right up on the next pull every time.

I usually let it sit for a little bit and go get do something else for a minute or two and let them warm up (put chaps on/get other stuff out of the truck etc.). Mine are all different when it comes to warm up some don't need any and some need more but never more than a minute or two. It will still cut without the warmup it just might bog easier and I don't like fighting through that.

I have a Husqvarna 455 Rancher and it is a beast! Our ranch varies from hard oaks to cedar and pine and this goes back and forth with no issue at all. I take care of it and keep it in the case when not in use, only put trufuel in it and it always cranks within 3 pulls.

My dad has 2 stihls. They are smaller-ligher more light duty. They can be a real pain to start if they have been sitting for a while and can easily become flooded, however once you get them started they will start easily the rest of the day