Stihl MS 261 C-M 18" vs 20" Bar

[s219]

Anyone run any of the M-tronic Stihls side by side with a Carb Stihl? Same base model of course. Curious how much difference there is.

Done it with a 441 a couple years ago when the m-tronic model first came out. I can't say I noticed a huge difference, but you'd really need to test across variable weather conditions to really notice. Theoretically, m-tronic is continuously varying the fuel/air mix to be optimum at all times. With a carb saw, that only happens when the weather matches the conditions when the carb was tuned.

 

[94BULLITT]

Curious what you thought of the MS241. I am looking for a live-aboard saw for my tractors when I come across something that needs to be cut, cleared or whatever. Wind fall, etc. My 261 and 441 seem too large and my MS192T too small. I am looking for a 14" bar, maybe 12", but enough power that I don't have to baby it like the 192. Did you run the 241?

Get a MS170 with a 12'' bar. A carb swap and muffler mod really wakes up the MS170. An ignition timing advance helps too.

 

[RDW8932]

I came to this thread for opinions about chain saw bar length. I wanted to decide between the 18" bar and the 20" bar for a Stihl MS 261CM chain saw I wanted to buy. I saw a lot of opinions but no facts. Here are some facts I found: The 261CM head weighs 10.8lbs. I have an older 026 that weighs 10.4lbs at the head. My 026 has an 18" bar and hangs level when held by the upper handle and full of fuel and oil. The dealer had a 261 with a 20" bar and and it hangs level when held by the upper handle (without the fuel and bar oil). This would suggest the 261 should be slightly nose light with shorter bars but would have more power cutting logs at the bar limit because the engine would be pulling fewer cutters through the cut. However, this would also suggest there should be little or no power difference between all bars in the same size log because there would be the same number of cutters in the cut. I purchased the 20" bar for the reach and because most of my trees are softwood between 12" and 20". Any bar that will reach will use almost the same power in the same tree. Hope this helps.

 

[4570Man]

Stihl MS 261 C-M 18" vs 20" Bar

I’ve got an 18” bar on my 353, a 20” bar on the 372 and a 28” for the 372. The 353 only cuts limbs so I like the longer reach and I really don’t think the balance is that bad. The 372 feels good with the 20” bar and I cut a lot of wood that’s that big so it doesn’t really matter how a smaller bar feels. I only run the 28” bar when necessary because it’s like strapping a brick on the end.

 

[Johnkn]

I came to this thread for opinions about chain saw bar length. I wanted to decide between the 18" bar and the 20" bar for a Stihl MS 261CM chain saw I wanted to buy. I saw a lot of opinions but no facts. Here are some facts I found: The 261CM head weighs 10.8lbs. I have an older 026 that weighs 10.4lbs at the head. My 026 has an 18" bar and hangs level when held by the upper handle and full of fuel and oil. The dealer had a 261 with a 20" bar and and it hangs level when held by the upper handle (without the fuel and bar oil). This would suggest the 261 should be slightly nose light with shorter bars but would have more power cutting logs at the bar limit because the engine would be pulling fewer cutters through the cut. However, this would also suggest there should be little or no power difference between all bars in the same size log because there would be the same number of cutters in the cut. I purchased the 20" bar for the reach and because most of my trees are softwood between 12" and 20". Any bar that will reach will use almost the same power in the same tree. Hope this helps.

Really, 3 year old thread and your first post here.... "Nose light"? huh, really? select a bar length and deal with it. its a frickin chainsaw not rocket science.

 

[4570Man]

Really, 3 year old thread and your first post here.... "Nose light"? huh, really? select a bar length and deal with it. its a frickin chainsaw not rocket science.

Agreed. If the debate is between a 18” and 20” flip a coin or something.

 

[RDW8932]

The two points I was trying to make were 1: I found the 20" bar in the Stihl 261CM is not nose heavy, it is perfectly balanced for 20", and 2: the number of cutters in the cut determine how much power is needed, not the bar length. In other words, the size of the tree or log not the bar length determines the power needed. The smaller bars only seem more powerful because they are only making smaller cuts.

 

[motownbrowne]

The two points I was trying to make were 1: I found the 20" bar in the Stihl 261CM is not nose heavy, it is perfectly balanced for 20", and 2: the number of cutters in the cut determine how much power is needed, not the bar length. In other words, the size of the tree or log not the bar length determines the power needed. The smaller bars only seem more powerful because they are only making smaller cuts.

Anyone who thinks that the bar being smaller makes the saw more powerful is kidding themselves. The reason to run a short bar on a small saw like that is weight savings and handling. Also, you just mention 20" bars. There's a big difference between a replaceable sprocket tip bar, a laminated bar, and a reduced weight bar. Also there is a big weight difference across manufacturers, and also weight will vary depending on the pitch.

I have a 261cm version 2 and it's got a 16" .325 bar on it. It's light, powerful (well, it is ported), smooth, and compared to sharpening a 20" .325 bar, it's much less of a PITA. Personally, I'd rather move my feet than work with a longer bar for reach on a saw this size, but that's just me. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Rock Crawler]

I have an 026 (not ported/modified) and I run a 16" and a 18" bar. I can feel power loss ofthe 18" bar, and my thought was always that it is because of the added drag of the chain in the bar. A longer chain and bar has more friction area to overcome by nature, and I feel that my stock 026 just does not have the guts to pull that longer and bar as strongly as it does the 16". With the 16" it feels like a beast. With the 18" I can easily choke out the cut by applying minimal pressure. I run standard green link chains on both, or Forester brand equivalent chains.

 

[s219]

Agree that there are too many variables here with bar size and weight, plus the 261 was updated within the last year or so to lighten it up a bit, and that will change any older opinions (both weight and balance have changed). Finally, the saw needs to be fueled and oiled up to really say for sure. This is not something you decide on paper or in the showroom.