What length bar are you wanting to run? If you want a gutsy 'pro' saw have a look at the MS361. It is lighter than the MS290 and will cut rings around it. It is more money but is a much stronger saw. The MS260 with a 16" bar is great for bucking and limbing.

OOPS. I meant MS390

Like canguy said the MS260 and MS361 are Stihls best. I don't know if the 361 (4.4 hp) will cut rings around a 390 (4.3 hp) on paper. I think Stihl over rates thier cheaper saws some to increase sales. I've never been impressed with the MS290 power which is rated at 3.8 hp, seems like a MS260 will cut almost as fast at 3.2hp. It could be that Stihl has a better profit margin on thier cheaper saws. Your Husky 141 is the same as a Poulan and the 345 is still a homeowner saw thats made cheap. Steve

Method for picking strong saw is to multiply bar lengh by 3 then use that as saws CC cubic inches are greater.

The 260/361 combo is very solid.

The only drawback may be if you want to run a bigger bar. The 260 is best with a 16" and the 361 is best with a 20". If you need to run a longer bar, you should look to the 441 or 460. You can run those with a 28" if you need to.

As mentioned, Husky has better quality saws than those that you purchased. The 346xp is the Husky counterpart to the 260. I think they are a higher rev saw and a newer design than the 260. If you look outside that, Dolmar/Makita has a 5100 that is a very, very nice saw. Harder to find support for them though.

I am not up on what the Husky equivalent is for the 361, 441, or 460.

If you do mean pro-quality then you are looking at $400+ for the smaller saws and $600+ for the larger saws.

The 260 will only be used for general sawing. The 390 will be used for cutting bigger logs. I think 20" bar would be big enough.

Stupid question..

Is it good on a saw to cut from both sides of the log if your bar isnt long enough? Or should the bar be bigger than the logs?

If it doesnt matter then a 20" bar will be good. Id like to stay with stihl cause a dealer is very near by. Which is why I am looking at stihl, because husky has no more repair men around my area. I totally understand their thinking too. Would the 361 really out perform the 390? Seems like the higher you go the better they should be. I dont need anything bigger than a 390. Im not no logger, just a weekend warrior! lol. thanks again guys!

I own a variant of many of the saws mentioned above (Stihl 029, Husqvarna 350) etc. and have mixed feelings about the two: They are both heavy, not the easiest to cold start, the Husqvarna being the most stubborn when hot which is common with this particular saw. Perhaps the new 350's with the primer bulbs are easier as I looked at them at a lawn equipment place recently. The Echo CS440 is highly rated and I am very pleased with their other products, with a five year warranty I would not hesitate to buy one. You can read the feedback on the big orange website, even the commercial guys are using them. Through the barter system I picked up a John Deere CS40, what a nice saw! Easy starting, lightweight, and it takes an 18" Oregon bar and chain sold at Wally. It's made by Efco and has a tremendous torque curve, well worth the $75 trade. Northern tool sells Efco however with John Deere stores failing I found the CS40 online recently for $161!
Don't forget a Husky 350 is a Husky 350, it doesn't matter where you buy it, that is the quality is the same from Sears or HD. That's my .03 (inflation).

One suggestion, the larger dealers, usually have saws you can try. Like many things, they ~LOOK GREAT~until you actually try it. Stihl has been a standard for years, they make great saws. Husky too, makes a good product. Try a few if you can...I think this will make your decision easier.

It is no problem if you have to cut from both sides because your bar is not long enough. However, your bar must be at least 1/2 or better the diameter of what you are cutting. It is far easier to have a bar that can cut through the whole piece than having to worry about switching sides. It is nice to have a little extra reach when you are working close to the ground because you won't have to bend over as much.

The 361 is a much better saw than the 390. The 390 is okay, just fat and heavy. The 361 will still be a great saw years from now. The 390 will get you through what you need. If you don't plan on saws as a hobby or care if the saw is top notch, the 390 will do fine. Maybe something like Craftsman compared to Snap-On.

I am still a weekend warrior but I decided chainsaws were something I wanted to work with somewhat regularly. I went from consumer grade Stihls to all Pro models. 4 different saws, each with their own purpose.

Another interesting combo would be a MS180 and 361. The 180 is tiny and very light. Nice for small stuff and very easy to walk around with. The 361 could handle anything of size. The 180 is a throwaway saw but is reliable if you treat it right.

Best advice after safety is to use the right mix, don't let your gas get old, keep your chain sharp and out of the dirt.

I have an Echo chainsaw (14") which was purchased in the spring of this year. I have never been able to use it for more than ten minutes without the chain jumping off the bar. When this happens the chain is "burred" and has to be filed clean. My dealer informed me that the specs on the chain have been changed and is smaller than before. A replacement chain has the same problem as the original.
I'm ready to trash this useless junk if I can't find a quick fix. Please advise......

I have an Echo chainsaw (14") which was purchased in the spring of this year. I have never been able to use it for more than ten minutes without the chain jumping off the bar. When this happens the chain is "burred" and has to be filed clean. My dealer informed me that the specs on the chain have been changed and is smaller than before. A replacement chain has the same problem as the original.
I'm ready to trash this useless junk if I can't find a quick fix. Please advise......

zebrj,

Honestly, this is user error. It sounds like you are overheating your chain which causes it to stretch. When the chain stretches and gets too loose on the bar it can jump out and burr the chain as you have found. When your chain starts to loosen, you need to adjust the chain tensioner before it goes so bad that the chain comes off the bar. See link to FAQ's below.

For some reason your info from the dealer does not jive. Chain specs have not changed in a long time. You have three measurements of a chain: gauge, pitch and size. If you want to know what all that is and means to you, then read up on the FAQ's at Oregon Chain.

As for the overheating, the likely culprits are dull chain and/or not enough oil.

The saw is probably not useless. Operator education and proper saw maintenance is more likely the key to successfully using this saw.