MS461 is what I use bucking wood at the log sort all day long, cutting anything from 4” to 6’ with a 32” bar and 404 chain.
Sometimes I grab the old 880 with 48” bar, just for fun, use it for about an hour and then switch back to the 461, the 461 really feels like a feather after that.
I prefer the power of my 390xp over the MS461, the MS661 is proving itself to be a fine saw out in the back end for the second loader. Sometimes I miss being a second loader. Currently hook tending in the snow for a few weeks more. Being in the sort the last few years, my legs are remembering the hillsides again.
The fallers around here like the 390xp, but now starting to run the 395xp due to the 390 being discontinued apparently.
The MS461 is the equivalent to the 372xp, MS660 or 661 is somewhere between a 390 and 395.
I read somewhere here about the 028, YES, it freakin rocks for such a small saw with a 20” bar, 30 years old and just won’t quit, gosh this poor little saw has cut way more wood then it was ever intended to, probably has 1800-2100 hours on it (maybe more), it’s just awesome. For a 46-50cc saw, depending upon which version a person has, this one is the Wood Boss model, so I believe it’s a 48cc, the Super was 50cc, and plain Jain was 46cc.
The MS340 I picked up a few years ago out does my two buddies 365’s, weird, but it cranks out a lot of power for what it is. (60cc)
Now the 288xp still sitting on the bench, one day I might rebuild it, such a different animal compared to the 390xp. Both 88cc, but the old 288 sounds wonderful, just an old school thing.
For tree topping, nothing special, just a MS201, 35cc 16”bar. Also makes for a great trail cutting saw.
Amsoil Saber synthetic 2cycle oil is the bomb, I don’t run it at the 100:1 or the 80:1 as they suggest, I have just for a trial with no ill effects, but prefer to run it around 62.5:1.
At 50:1 with the Saber seems a tad to much for this product.
One thing to know about it is that it doesn’t stay suspended in the fuel very well, so before refuelling just shake the jerry can and all is good.
Probably why the 028 keeps on running.
Also I see people using the premium gas, NO, burns longer and hotter, these are air cooled aluminum engines, that will wear them out faster. It is ok to use as a last tank of the season if you store it with fuel in it, but that’s it. I do this, and never have to worry about carbs getting gummed up from sitting with fuel in them, even after a year. Remember how the Saber doesn’t stay suspended, for the storage purposes I use the high grade fuel Chevron 94 with the usual Stihl 2cycle, and that’s the only time I use conventional 2cycle oil and premium fuel, just one tank per storage period. 4-6months to a little over a year.
Some folks like to run the tanks and carbs dry for storage, but I have always encountered frosty carbs with this method, not all of them, but more then I’d like to deal with.
If your running Phillips66 2cycle oil, there is no fuel stabilizer in that oil, just so you know.
Files: from my decades of experience, the recent Stihl files are just sort of OK, the Oregan files will out last the Stihl files.
