I'm giving away a BRAND NEW STIHL MS 261 chainsaw! Enter now through November 23, 2023 (Thanksgiving Day). Details here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/kKiGqJqol6ipnIE.html

Swede here. In Sweden 75% of pro saws are sold with 13-15". Before in the 80's everyone mostly used 13" If you work professionally in the forest you have to go a course here and you are not even allowed to use anything longer that 15" while doing it. I currently have: 13" 550XPG 15" 550XPG 15" 353XPG 15" 560XPG ( smaller European bar size version of the 562 ) 18" 560 XPG 20" 372 XPG I hardly ever use the bigger saws. Only when cutting the largest trees on the farm or if making firewood cutting through many logs at once. If people ever need a bigger saw than 15" they usually borrow one or hire somebody rather than using a longer bar on their 50cc saw here. Actually 18" is the longest size that I can effectively use in the forest for all porposes. Anything longer is just hard to manoeuvre and could result in cutting into the ground. Working in the forest part-time for 30+ years here in Sweden. You should note that my part of Sweden has dense forests of mostly smaller size trees and is filled with rocks and boulders in many places. Very uneven and bushy terrain compared to what I've seen in the US. I'm not saying a longer bar is useless, I'm just brought up with short bars and a larger saw that's what we use.

Perfect fit for my Echo CS-370, and the chain cuts very well kzfaq.infoUgkxBd8qUztQUCL8Rm1-aIig5ViBT2E_kO_6 . I had been using a Stihl chain that I had sharpened several times (sometimes at a shop, sometimes with my own electric chain sharpener), and there's no comparison -- the new chain cuts much better and holds its edge longer. We'll see how the new chain holds up when it needs sharpening, but for now I'm happy.

Thx for an informative video. I have that exact Stihl saw, and was considering a longer bar.

I agree with your formula. I like a balanced saw as well. I'm northern us so Elm, Oak, Hickory and Maple are predominant. My 261 is 18", my 462 is 24", my 661 is 32".

Thanks for your guidance, I was debating the ms261cm 18 or 20", I went 18. Got it and I'm very happy with it!

Great video! Keep them coming!

Hey man, brand new to your channel but just gone through some of your vids and they've really helped me make a decision on the chainsaw I will purchase, so just wanted to say thank you. Neil (UK)

I run an 18" bar on my Stihl 261c and a 24" bar on my Husqvarna 562 xp, cut a mixture of wood but more hard wood than anything else. Cutting in lower Michigan. Very happy with the performance of both saws.

Keep it up buddy! These tool reviews will take off I’m sure of it

Thanks for a great video - I have the MS 251 Z in Australia which has 18" stamped on the bar however it only measures 16" cutting length.

Great explanation,Thank you.

I run a 25” to a 28” bar on my ms 362 here in the Pacific Northwest of the United States ! I usually cut big leaf maple , red alder , western red cedar , Douglas fir , western hemlock and grand fir !

I use a 18” bar on my 362, a 24” bar on my 462, a 30” bar on my 500i and a 36” light bar on my 661. No problem running any of them through any type of hardwood we have up here in southern Ontario Canada.

Completely agree. I run 28" or 20" on my Stihl 461. I have cut up a couple of large Red Oaks, both over 100 rings, a Hickory in January (sparks flew), and other assorted hardwoods. The extra power comes in handy with a slightly smaller bar and chain. My 261 will have an 18" bar also.

Great explanation of different bar length requirements and the difference between cutting hard or softwoods. General rule of thumb, is dividing the cc by three to give max. bar length in inches, (non modified saw). But there’s a bit of leeway up on that; but as you say, you sacrifice power especially in hardwood.

Really useful vid. Cheers buddy.

Good info. I’m just getting into quality chainsaws. Ready for an upgrade.

I'm 74 yrs old and just have a small place in western Colorado. My current saw is an Echo 310 with a 14 inch bar. That's the size bar that came with it when my wife bought it. I had a 60 cc Stihl with a 20 inch bar for 30 years, and finally decided to trade it in on something lighter. I like the Echo because it is so light and I have no trouble reaching overhead with it. I could do with a 12 inch bar since I only use it for trimming at this point. One of my teenage grandsons recently bought a Stihl 291 with a 20 inch bar that was being retired from a tool rental business. He wanted to put a 24 inch bar on it, but I convinced him otherwise. At least I hope I did. For the most part we cut very soft aspen, but some spruce, and most of the trees are 12 to 20 inches in diameter. He is hoping to make enough money selling firewood this winter to move up to a new Stihl 261 and I'm hoping to convince him that an 18 inch bar will be enough. The new auto control on the fuel/air mix on the 261 is a great feature for us since we live at 6,000 feet and cut wood up to 11,000 feet. So not having to mess with the jetting on a saw and just grab and go makes a big difference. One of the things that amazes me is that Stihl recommends a 16 to 20 inch bar for the 261, but the ones we saw at the local hardware stores have 24 and 26 inch bars. What gives Stihl?

I run a 20in on my ms 291. I live in CT so a lot of the wood I cut up is mostly Ash, cherry and some maple. On my saw the 20in feels good to me with the weight and with the more teeth it cuts in a decent time and it’s smooth. If I am bucking firewood that is 12” or smaller then I put the 16in bar on it and it helps me judge my distance for length of my cuts for it to fit in the wood stove. Anything bigger than 12” I use the 20in bar.

The longer the chain, the heavier the load on the sprocket and the greater the friction between the chain and the bar/rail. That is where the power loss occurs. The chain speed will remain the same until the chain bites into the wood, and that is where the friction really kicks in and slows the chain speed down. This causes stress on the clutch and crankshaft....

I've use the Stihl you've used in the videos for years, and love it, with an 18" bar. Good comments throughout your video. Many folks over bar their saw. I've moved to the Stihl 362 with a 21 inch bar for a number of reasons. I'm from Texas, and we cut many different woods, from mesquite to oak to ash to cedar. The pro grade 362 just seems to do the best all around job. For cedar and pine it may be slightly overkill :-), but for oak, and especially mesquite, it has the added power I need.

I have 30 and 37cc saws that are used for trimming trees and cutting up dead fall. For simplicity I've changed the bar on the smaller saw so I can run 14" bars on both. 6" hardwood or 10" softwood is about all I cut. I also have a 50cc with 18" bar but I only use it for the off big stuff.

Great video man! What you said about bar/engine size makes 100% total sense. I have 2 saws, a Husqvarna E440 X-Torq with an 18 inch bar, and a Stihl MS201TC-M with a 14 inch bar. I find myself using the husky more for light duty work around the house like firewood cutting and the stihl I attach to my dirt bike (because it’s a light arborist saw) with a special mount on the front for trail maintenance up in the mountains in the spring (I live in California). Both are great saws and I am really happy with both

I have 52cc chainsaw custom guide bar 20“ but i installed with 26" bar. It run smooth when i use it for ripping wood. And i have 58cc chainsaw with same guide bar lenght 26“.

I have a Husq 130 with 14" for small firewood cutting and 16" for slightly bigger stuff and a larger 51cc saw with 18" bar for moderate felling jobs.

I used to run a Dolmar 5100s as my small saw. I ran a 20" .325 narrow kerf on it all the time. My bigger saw is a Makita DCS 6401, I run a 20" 3/8th full chisel on it most of the time. I also have a 24" bar and a 32" bar for the Makita. I run full chisel on the 24 and skip tooth on the 32. Running narrow kerf on a small pro saw is a game changer, my Dolmar would smoke my buddies 260 and other ones 346xp.... I told them it was a Dolmar thing, it was a narrow kerf thing.

I live like an hour from the town Husqvarna in Sweden! I run a 550 XPG mark 2 with 18" bar...

Hi I run 17" and 20" on my stihl 08s, no problems as long as the chain is sharp.

I like to run the shortest bar I need for the situation on my ms 460 I run a 28 and a 32, on my 160 I happen to be running a 20 right now and on my ms 200 a 14. I also run light bars and usually a narrow ish kerf chain when possible

Here in southern England, I'm coppicing European sweet chestnut (hardwood), for poles for fencing as well as harvesting firewood. I use an old 251 and a 462, both with an 18" bar, although I do have a 25" for the 462 if required. Whilst the 462 is a bit heavier, with the 18" bar, the speed of cutting (especially through multiple stacked poles), makes it very quick and efficient to use.

That's well put on the bar lengths. I'm getting a new 70cc head and would like to make a smart call on the gauge .050 or .058 on a 24" bar. Are the bars the same thickness? Is the kerf in the wood the same? I guess the .058 is a little heaver. Any advice appreciated.

I find a 20" bar on a 362 C-M to be a great all rounder in my area, however for tighter stuff/limbing a 16" bar does work wonders.

Thanks. Good explanation. I am getting ready to buy a 261 and was struggling with the decision between the 20" and 18" bar. It has a 20" on the shelf but they will change it out. I'm pretty convinced to get the 18" now. I'll be cutting a lot of red oak and Hickory.

Modified MS 661 with a 36" Tsumura or 25" Stihl standard bar depending on what i am up to. Always the longer bar when I am bucking so I can stand up for the most part. Cutting mostly hardwoods.

I have a 455 husqvarna and I put a 24" bar on it and it does a nice job on maple, cherry, and elm, here in Indiana

Good info!

I have a 261 with a 16” bar which is a handy thing. I have run in through more than the length of the bar in oak and it seems to use it’s power. Speedy cuts! Also I have a 455 rancher with an 18” bar. I gave my son my late 70s L65 Husky which is a torque monster and will pull a 24” bar through Oak and Hickory at full depth. The 261 is quick, light and handy. I’m just a homeowner but prefer well made equipment.

let me ask this. for those chainsaws that you have, would you be able to cut quicker or faster on smaller bar vs larger bar? With larger bar, won't there be more teeth to cut more or faster and at the same losing little bit of power? New to chainsaws so thank you for video

On my old saw it was a 251 wood boss ran the 18in bar and chain without issue and thought it was perfect. I don’t have a good back so ima looking for longer bars. But my current saw is a 335 x torx that’s running a 16in bar. And it’s cutting with a good chain keeps up well with my friends larger saws no problem.

I have a Stihl MS 462 and run a 20” bar. It’s perfect for the size of the timer I’m cutting. It’s so fast! I’m thinking of getting a 25” for bigger timber.

We are in Nova Scotia. Running a 16" bar on a Stihl 261 (50 cc) and a 18" bar on a Stihl 400C (66cc). We dont have trees big enough to need anything longer (and you just lose power, start cutting in the ground, more sharpening required, etc.).

PortedUhsky 550 XP 15-20, 353 15-18, Jonsered 2165 20 and my MS 462 25. I cut mainly oak ash beach in the UK.

Echo CS-301 with a 12" bar, Husqvarna 550XP Mark II with a 18" bar, Husqvarna 455 Rancher with a 18" bar, and a Husqvarna 395XP with a 24" bar soon to be upgraded to a 30" bar. I also have my fathers old blue Homelite XL-12 with a 16 " bar, this saw is currently being rebuilt as it had a scored piston. What's you thoughts on decompression deletes on the power heads? I never use mine on the 455 Rancher or the 395XP and I am thinking of plugging them.

my step dad and I went in on a woodmizer mill together. I know nothing about chainsaws other than I'm gonna need one... I live in the south as well ...thanks for the vid... is the 92cc gs660 holzfforma any good?

I looked at the MS261 C-M at my dealer today. They had one with an 18" and a MS 291 with a 20". The 20" seems a little unwieldy even for the 291. I agree with your assessment 20" is right for a 60cc.

I run a 24” bar on my husqvarna 562xp, mostly cutting ponderosa and lodgepole with the occasional fir or spruce where I live

With a 20 inch bar you don't have to lean over as much when bucking wood on the ground ? I have noticed depending on the diameter of the wood say 10 inch you still same amount of teeth in the wood no matter the bar length?

I run a 24" bar on a husky 562xp, cutting a mix of both soft and hard wood in lower Michigan. Cut year round.

I have 42cc chainsaw, I want to know if 20 inch guide bar can fit to it. Tnx.

I have an old Jonsered 2150 Turbo and would like to know what the smallest bar you would recommend?

How do you determine the size when it comes to bar mount( the two bolts that the bar sit on)? I’ve been trying to figure out the width that would be needed for certain bars so when I go to purchase a bar online for a saw I know exactly what info to look for in the description to know that bar will have a wide enough width to fit on the two bolts that hold you’re chainsaw bar

Good video. I have a 261 with 20 inch bar. But this saw has been tuned & ported by Ripsaw. I have a stock 362 also but the 261 will out cut the 362. I also changed from a 325 chain to a 3/8. It handles it great & is noticeable lighter than the 362.

I like to run a 25 inch bar on my Stihl Ms 441Cm. Sometimes I run a 20 or even a 16 depending on what I’m cutting. 25 is my preference on big trees. 👍

I cut @ lot of cedar at my place in central Texas. I love a small top handle like your Homelite XL for that task with a 12 inch bar. I got an Echo CS 310 with 18 inch bar and it has been a great saw for the price.

Im running an ms 211 and added a 20 inch bar and chain.

I bought a Stihl MS211 with 18” bar for my 1st saw. I mostly cut hardwood in mtns on NC for firewood. I already wish I had bought a bigger saw. If the chain is the least bit dull, it bogs down. I’m switching to a 16” & my next saw will be a M291 or MS261.

I run a 20" on my 455 rancher for everything I do. No need for more.

I like to know something I have the Black Max BM 5020 50cc 20-inch bar should I find a 16 or 18 inch bar if there's any that will fit this it seems to have loads of power even with a 20-in bar but maybe I will have less weight to deal with on a smaller bar

I run a 28 on my MS039 and run a 32 on my MS461 when I am working with larger fir. I have found a 28 provides good balance and power on both saws.

I own a Stihl MS311, 59cc 20" bar..... Echo CS-310ES 30.5cc 12" bar... Husqvarna 135 mk2 40.9cc 16" bar.... I believe in keep with in 2" - 4" under the max bar length saves the power head & as you mentioned just buy a bigger saw . Great vid Cheers from Australia 👍

I have a black max 50cc 20-in bar I'm cutting maple sometimes I like to have 16 or 18 inch bar is that a work good on this chainsaw but I would like a more powerful 68 CC wicn eBay comes with 22 inch bar can I put a 18-inch bar if I want to or even 16 inch

I run a Stihl 021 with a ported ms390 engine in on a 20 inch bar, semi chisel semi skip chain. I cut a lot of wet wood and it handles it fine, only thing is it gets that hot cutting 18 inch and above (wet) logs that is can’t hold the saw without gloves, iv got a ngk 9 spark plug in it and it helped a bit coming from a ngk 7 but I’m working on a water cooled system to try and dissipate some more heat.

16" on my MS250 which does 95% of my work on a variety of oaks, manzanita & Grey Pines, a 25" on my MS362 for those big boys I can't pass up, and a 12" on the MS140 I use for limbing and scrub (when my wife lets me borrow it). DOUGout

Can I put a 14” bar on a ms290? I like the power but I don’t always want the 18” bar on for bulky reasons

I have several saws with different size engines and bars. For pruning I like my 30cc top handle Echo with a 12" bar. For years my all purpose saw was Husqvarna 55 Rancher with an 18" bar and I have an 80cc Echo with a 32" bar for times when the 55 isn't big enough. I haven't used the Husky much in the last few years since I got a 40 volt DeWalt battery powered saw with a 16" bar.

I just got a 60cc Makita ea6101. The standard blade equipment is 15" .325 1.5mm. I'm going to get an 18" bar and I'm wondering if I should buy 0.50" or 0.58".. I'm also wondering which would be better 3/8 or .325 I'm from northern Europe and we mainly have soft wood. What kind of blade equipment would you put in that saw?

hi i have a husqvarna model 50 with 3 hp i want to know 16 or 18 inch bar

Thank you sir. What part of the south are you in. I’m in Texas we have plenty of oak, pecan, and mesquite here.

I was looking at an MS 291, and had the choice of 18 or20". I went with the 20", because I have a bunch of REALLY big wood to cut- much of it 3'+ in diameter. Ash, Honey Locust, and Silver maple. The Ash and maple, in particular, have some monster logs. The saw this is supplimenting has a 16" bar (14.5" of usable length), and was having some real trouble with the big Ash, especially. As it turns out, the REAL issue was a chain that was unevenly dull- causing it to cut crooked and get my saw stuck in larger pieces. My (far from expert) attempt at sharpening it helped, but it was still uneven. (I did not realize that was the issue, and so sharpened all teeth with the same # of strokes- so I got a sharper version of the same thing...) The other thing, is that it's a battery powered saw. Plenty of power, but hard hard wood like the big semi dry Ash, and locust logs was eating battery life. The hot temps didn't help, either. And it really isn't made for serious firewood cutting. While I was at the dealer, I went ahead and had that saw professionally sharpened, too. These electric saws do have some serious advantages- like no carb or engine to start or maintain- and it's very quiet! So, it stays- for cutting smaller logs, and ripping crotches and knotty chunks that refuse to be split.

261 with 20" here in Montana. Doug fir and lodgepole. Larch is ithe hardest species out here but burns kinda dirty. Getting the correct chain also makes a big difference.

Modified Husqvarna 254xpg 18" bar 1.3mm chain..Still goes like a beast!!

Excellent video, some great info! Difficult to find any specific info on my Stihl, no one seems to use it, the Stihl MS382, it is about 72 CC, 5.3 HP, I usually run either an 18" or a 25" (3/8 pitch, 1.6mm gauge) depending upon the trees - The 25" bar definitely seems to cut better than the shorter bar. I just cannot find much info on this particular saw. (Stihl support are totally useless)

I do commercial in tree work on state contracts, I'm currently running a ms 201tcm with a 12inch bar. So doing roadway clearing my thinking was a 12inch bar. I'm cutting a variety of woods so there's no consistently and I've noticed the guys running 16inch bars have trouble flat cutting 7inch trees. I'm all about productivity and efficiency so I want my saw to eat and she does.

Craftsman 16 and 18 in have 42cc does that mean 16in is more powerfu.l turn down a 20in even though I had 46cc

How to know if a 20 inch echo bar was switched to a 16 inch bar. Will the power of the instrument be noticeable. How much so.

I have a ms240 with a 16 inch bar and i just bought a 20 inch bar for soft wood

I ran a 261 (not cm) for a while. It came with 18 inch bar and that would bog down too much on hardwood and I wanted lighter weight because with 16 or 18, you have to bend down anyway. Wouldn’t want to run a 20 on it because it’s awkwardly long, heavy, but just not long enough to matter. I fell about 24 inch trees with 16 inch bar, but it was a pain. I upgraded to a 462C because I wanted a longer bar so that I don’t have to bend over. I use 28 inch bar on it and for being slightly under 6 foot tall, the ergonomics are great. It’s on another level and I wouldn’t ever go back to a smaller saw or bar. It goes through oak no problem, though I can tell the power is at a limit and ordered a muffler mod. I use a pole saw ht131 with 14 inch bar (3/8 p micro). This will chew smaller stuff quickly and I also prefer the reach and ergonomics of this vs a small chainsaw and doing acrobatics. It will cut 12 inch logs here and there, but speed is slow and for that stuff I use a chainsaw. Smaller pole saw chains are easier to sharpen and replace. It hardly uses any gas and is much more efficient for smaller stuff than a larger chainsaw because of the reach. The 462 with longer bar is reserved for heavy duty chainsaw stuff, like felling and bucking. For limbing, the pole saw is far more effective. The reason I make this comparison is because I think some people are caught up with “i want small light chain saw that I can raise over my head to cut limbs.” When I’m running a chainsaw, aims down and the powerhead waist high. Before having the pole saw, I wanted the 261 to be the ‘all in one’ tool and while it did get the job done, it wasn’t the safety way nor the most efficient. Side point, STHIL documents don’t recommend a 261 (or even 362) for pros despite it being supposedly a pro grade saw. They consider it a higher end firewood business saws. You wont find pros running these smaller saws…they all have 24+ bars and 70cc + saws. There are exceptions though…for smaller people, older, or women, 18-20 inch might be all they can handle. To sum up, run the longest bar your saw can handle. That’s the reason to get a higher CC powerhead. 24-28 inches 70cc is the sweet spot or bare minimum saw IMO. 28 inches with 80 or 90 cc is even better. No matter the size, the most important thing is a sharp chain.

Please make a video with your MS 261 C-M comparing a 18" to a 20" bar while bucking some hardwood logs

They tried to push a 20" 050 gauge bar and chain on me when I bought my ms261cm. I had them change it to an 18" 063 gauge. It seems as if Stihl is really pushing the 050 guage bars on all their 325 pitch saws these days. What are your thoughts and preferences on this, if any?

I run the new ms251c easy start 18inch been a great saw so far

28" Oregon on my Stihl ms500i and a spare 20" Stihl es ligth bar and 16" and 14" for my 251

I have a Stihl 211 16”. How do you upgrade/chose an 18” bar from different manufacturer? I failed in buying one on amazon on only the chain pitch/gauge/#links.

He’s talking about running pro saws I’m running a 1986 sacsis dolmar

I run a 25 inch bar on a stihl ms 400 and a 18 inch on a stihl ms 391 and cut alot of hedge wood commonly known as Osage orange

We just had a massive straight line wind event. My family has many chain saws. Mostly stihls. I’m unsure which ones. I don’t have my own though. We had a bunch of trees over fences. I want to get my own for the next event. I will be using it for everything from storm clean up, farm maintenance etc etc. I was thinking about a 361 and putting an 18 inch bar on it. I live in the south as well and we have lots of hard woods. Im what is your thoughts? Do you feel the 261 would be enough?

i run a 20 on my 361, i pulled the spark arrestor, because it wasnt letting the saw really sing and the chain was bogging down, deep in the cut. almost all hardwoods here. oaks pretty easy to cut, try osage orange. that and locust is brutal. the nice part about prograde is tehy motor head is streatched out a bit longer and saves your back.

I’m in CA’s central Sierra Mtns. We have a mix in hard and soft woods. My MS260 does great with an 18” bar while I run 25” bars on my Stihl 036 and MS 360 pro. I’ve never had a problem with hp as long as I’m not doing anything stupid. Even at 8,000’ with thinner air, the 60cc saws have no trouble with a 48” diameter pine. Our oaks grow at lower elevations where altitude isn’t stealing some of your ponies, so it’s still not been a problem to run a 25” bar. Far more important imo, is the condition of your chain and chain type. How aggressive is your bite for the type of wood you’re cutting? What is the sharpness of your chain? Also, have you cleaned the air filter lately? These factors have been the most important in my experience. Balance is a matter of personal preference as you rightly point out. If you’re never needing a longer bar length to cut larger diameter trees, then the length that balances to your liking and the reach it gives you when bucking are probably your main considerations, and certainly the shorter bar/chain will save you a little money and sharpening time. Thank you sir for a great video!

I run a 20 inch bar on my ms400 but been thinking about putting a 16 inch bar on her

Which saw do u recommend for my property at 7700 ft altitude? The pine trees have branches that are dead going up the tree and I would like to cut those off because of fire hazard. Do you know anything about the hot saw piltz conversion hot saw for Stihl?

the bar i choose depends on what i am doing. bucking firewood i run a sthil ms362cm and typically run a 28in bar with a skiptooth chain. it allows me to be more upright. for my 661 and the 362 falling i run 20 to 25in bars depending on the size wood i am in. my smaller saws (ms 170 and the ms271) i usually run the 16 in. they are small light saws that live on my 4 wheelers and are typically used for trail clearing and after storm cleanup

On mid saws I run "18 across the board. The 18 gets the most out of the 261/550. I have 24 on the 461 and multiple bars for the big boy.

On my Stihl 362 with a muffler mod and a really good tune I run a 24 inch bar with a full comp chain, on my 462 stock ish (mild tune) I have 2 bars I run a 28 inch full comp chain or 32 inch half skip chain on it and they both cut super nice not much bogging I also in live in the south and we cut alot hickory, black locusts, oaks and maples in my area and iver never had a problem with ether of them

A new to the chainsaw world an am currently using a coocheer 5800 with a 20” bar

ms260 20" bar 3/8 pitch for years, now 25" with full skip 3/8 pitch chain. Cuts fine for Doug fir, hemlock, alder, might get into some maple or wild cherry. Didn't think it would work well with the longer bar but it seems to cut and pull fine. Longer bar helps to stand up a little straighter and cut a little larger wood easier. I;m assuming if I bury the bar in a big log it will struggle some but no issues with 18-20" logs.

I like to stand up to buck bent over bucking is hard on the back so I run longer bars than some. On top of that I find short bars more dangerous your body is right personal with the bar and a kickback happens fast. For my preference: Anything smaller than 40cc 16-18" but I have a ported 38cc I run 20" on it and it begs for more. But on my basically stock because all my saws have muffler mods or pipes and jetting. On to the list 40cc I run 24-28" 50cc 36" anything 60cc and bigger 42-48". I run the same for felling but I keep the chain handfiled sharp and guides filed to spec always checking them. I run skip tooth or full house and keep them sharp. I also only run Schaeffer's bar and chain oil I find any other oil the bar and chain life suffers drastically and the saw works supper hard like your cutting gummy softs. In softwood like Aspen's I drop the bar back to factory shorter bar so when the chain hogs in the saw has the power to run it but in harder woods it's rare the power head struggles for power unless you're pushing it in with manual work,I let the saw do the work. Thank you for your recomdations they are good and close for the home gamers keep up the good work of helping people.

I am looking to get a 261 with an 18 bar.....perfect balance, however i am wondering about the longevity of the Metronic system.

Run a 18” on a MS 271 for mostly hard woods. Tried a 20” and it bogged down too often

I run 18” on two of my chainsaws one is a sthil 261cm and a 16” on my sthil Ms250 chainsaw and the zomax has a 18” bar and chain on it

My first saw was a Stihl 028 Super with a 20" bar I've used thirty years strong. It is not balanced, but it has plenty of power to maintain my property in Massachusetts and cut mainly firewood. I recently bought a Stihl MS261 CM with a 20" bar to help me stand straighter when limbing, bucking, and cutting firewood. The longer bars have minimized lower back stress for me. The 261 is balanced with the 20" bar. This saw is very responsive and handles well especially when limbing. It has no problems with 18" and 20" white pine, and cut very well on an 18" red oak I recently cut. Would I notice a difference using an 18" bar?