Chainsaw, what do you use for camp?

[Lugg]

Hey everyone. Looking for my first chainsaw. Was just given an old Mac 3200 32cc but the parts to fix it are about 50 bucks and I was told it's not worth it as I could buy a comparable cheap saw for "not much more". I'll work on cheaper parts since I'd like to get it working anyway.

However I have had my eyes on a Husky 445 which is 479.99. Just for around camp and when 4 wheeling. Seems like a real good saw for my needs.

At at the store I went to they recommended a Stihl 170 for $199.99. Much smaller, which is nice as we use a 2 door Jeep. Anyone know how good this saw is? The price seems low for a quality saw.

This store sells both Husky and Stihl so the recommendation was not based on that. The guy seemed like a real nice fellow not just trying to make a sale. Told me to call back once a month because he is expecting a package deal for the 170 that will come with a case, hat, file, and some other stuff for the same price of 199.99. Happens every year he said.

[albravo2]

I think there was a thread by Drillbit or Sawmill a couple weeks ago that went into this pretty deep. He went with a 170 or 180 but you'll find more info over there on that thread.

[OutWest]

Depends what you're doing. The 170 is a solid unit, a lot of guys like the 180 as well.

I prefer Husky's myself. If I'm just cutting trail I will grab a 357 or 365 depending on the area. Sometimes I will bring a 372 to our main camp if I know I'm going to be falling more than a few trees as I like the extra jam and don't mind the weight as I'm not lugging it several km's a day.

[Daybreak]

Husky and Stihl are both quality saws. You can't go wrong with either. The fact that you like the salesman/shop keeper says a lot, he will probably steer you right. A good relationship with him can go a long way. Keep in mind that the Stihl 170 is bottom line and not a professional model.

Which model of either brand you buy depends on what exactly you need to do with a saw. Occasional blow down and campfire? 5 cords a year for home heating?

[Remington721]

Go for the 170, I bought one for the quad/small camp saw and i love it. Perfect little saw for 199.99 never given me any problems. Not biased to sthil ether as i have a husky 562XP for the big stuff. Great little saw defiantly would recommend it, perfect for what your wanting to do with it.

[lip_ripper00]

The MS170 is consumer saw has a life expectancy of about 300hrs, the 455 is 10x the saw or step up to the first industrial Stihl.

[Xenomorph]

Stihl is what I use, but any good working order good sized saw that does the job I guess. Had a shindaiwa that I wanted to rebuild the carb and permanently have in the jeep, but after taking the Stihl it's still in parts, waiting for a rebuild.

[M.Dean]

You guys ever being sitting in hunting camp late in the evening around the camp fire, just enjoying being out there listening to all the sounds the forest can make at night, when out of Nowhere there's a wild, banshee blood curdling scream, then a high powered rifle shot? And no, it ain't poachers, it's that hunting camp down the road from you with the LML boys who were dumb enough to buy a bloody "Steal" Chainsaw instead of a Husky! There sitt'in in the dark, eatt'in cold cowboy beans out of the can cuz they can't cut any dam wood because the cheap piece of crap Stihl won't even turn over, never mind start! So, if you wann'a camp with the "Big Boys", buy a Husky!

[takla1]

don't cheap out Ive owned and used a Pro Grade Stihl ms361 for over 6 yrs.It fills the wood shed with 3-4 cords of hard wood yearly and has never missed a beat.
I went thru numerous Husky's as ive cut cords of wood since I was 15 yrs old annually.I keep it sharp,keep the chain oiller full and mix my fuel to perfection.I was cutting wood today with it and it eats wood
takla

[guntech]

My old Husqvarna has always started well... and my smaller Echo... two brands that have always started easier than the Stilhs I have owned...