#657 FARM SAW vs PRO SAW, Stihl MS 271 and MS 261 Is a Pro Series Saw Worth it? You tell Me

Today we take a close look at the Stihl MS 271 Farm Boss and Compare It to a Pro Series Stihl MS 261. Both are Great Firewood Saws, Both have 18" Bar, We go over the features on both and then you can decide if a pro series is worth the extra cost for you.

#stihl #outdoorgans #chainsaw

Our Address: Mike Morgan
P.O. Box 2140
Cranberry Twp. Pa 16066

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Equipment that we use on the Property:
Woodmizer LX 150 Sawmill
Wallenstein FX 85 Skidding Winch
RK 24 Subcompact Tractor Loader, Backhoe & 54" Granite Grapple
RK 37 Compact Tractor With Loader and 72" Granite Grapple
RK 55 Compact Tractor With Loader
Polaris 900 Crew Side x Side
Wolfe Ridge Compact Commercial Log Splitter
Black Diamond 22 ton Log Splitter
RK by King Kutter 1.5 Ton Dump Trailer

Attachments:
Brush Hogs
Tiller
Box Blade
Land Plane
Disc
Post Hole Digger

[BenKickert]

This just popped in my feed. Watching it, I burst into laughter when he said "I am chomping at the bit for 2020." If only he knew what it would hold...

[karlcarnevale]

I was shopping for a saw two years ago right around the time I found your channel. My dealer showed all those same differences. I asked him about the cases. He said the MS 261 Pro .saw was magnesium to aid in the cooling of that engine. He said that is a key for someone that cuts everyday all day. The cooling aids in the saw lasting longer. Great feature for those pro rated saws. Internet search and YouTube vids and experience using a 036 pro saw I knew I wanted the MS 261 Pro. For me I chose the MS 271. After talking to the dealer I knew the amount of wood I cut a year 3 full cord or 6 face cord. So MS 271 came home with me and set on the shelf waiting for it’s first day of use. So a week later I am at my Doctors office for a problem with my hand(Dupuytren Contraction). Surgery two weeks later. Oh pretty new saw see you soon. A month after that I meet with my shoulder surgeon. Shoulder surgery scheduled. Oh pretty saw we will cut wood soon. I go through all the rehab and physical therapy that my insurance will cover. I feel pretty good but not read to cut firewood. So I wait to get stronger and more confident with this newly scoped shoulder and reattached bicep. I had two good months and I was back at my surgeon in pain wishing I never had the surgery. As you guess it and if your still reading what was the next step. Yes Surgery and a complete shoulder replacement. I had 5 total visits to physical therapy. Two of the visits lasted an hour. After that ten minutes and all the physical therapists scratching their heads out how well I felt and how quickly progressed. So about two months after surgery I looked at my never used pretty saw we had our first dance and cut some firewood. I put one tank of fuel through my new saw and was so happy to have done that. Oh yeah I didn’t mention I am only 47. I love that saw.

[johnpark]

The 261 is a pound and a half lighter and has more power. For me, that made it a a no-brainer. I'm pretty good at no-brainers. I got the 20-inch bar. And when I found out they had a C-M saw where you didn't have to adjust the screws anymore, well, yeah, to me it was worth the extra money not to have to adjust those screws. I've been very happy with my saw.

[GlfFish]

I've had a Farm Boss for a number of years. No more wood than I cut, I'm absolutely pleased with it. Also have a 180 that I use for <5" diameter limbs -- slower, but a lot lighter and more nimble. My wife knows I'm serious when the Farm Boss comes out!

[gregwagner]

Hi Mike, I have a MS271. I don't cut nearly as much wood as you but it's a really Great saw, I would recommend to anyone. Perfect for my heavily wooded 5 acres down here in Florida.

[joshgriffith]

Hey Mike thanks for the vid!

I have owned both, but currently i own the 261c-m. My buddy runs a firewood business and needed a new saw so i sold him my 271 that was just barely a year old. The 271 surprised me for being a mid grade saw for the money. It was pretty good on gas too. The 261c-m i have is definitely a pro saw and will really surprise you with the power to weight. It is really ergonomic and just a joy to run.

The differences of the 261 over the 271

Magnesium case and side cover
Felling sights
Decompression valve
Heavy duty air cleaner
Elastostart starter
Supposedly a better anti vibe system
Higher compression
I think it revs 1k rpm higher
Easier to rebuild the top end
Captured bar nuts
Adjustable Oiler with metal gears vs plastic
Stainless steel muffler vs zinc plated
Rim sprocket clutch setup

I have a ms261c-m which is the m-tronic version. So far i love it. It simply just rips. I’m still breaking it in and it’s still impressing me. I’ve grown up around pro saws my whole life as my family is fourth generation loggers. That’s why i went with the 261 after i owned the 271, but for the money the 271 is a great saw don’t get me wrong. For the 261 I bought the sprocket cover side felling dog that matches the inside one that comes on the saw and it helps with bucking thick barked wood and also flush cutting stumps. I also put a full chisel rapid super chain on it before i even started it for the first time.

Mike, can i suggest maybe re-tuning your 261 or getting it re-tuned? I can see that yours isn’t the m-tronic version and it sounds like it’s possibly not tuned to its potential. You should be able to get more speed and faster acceleration out of it.

[kevinharris]

Bought myself a new 271 for Christmas, had to have a new saw to go with a new truck. It cuts a bit slower, but just for firewood and cutting a down tree out the road, it does fine. Main reasons why I bought it, this new addition makes number 14.

[DustanT]

I own the 261 c-m (no needles, No Bogging!) and can't say enough about the saw for long days cutting firewood, It's light and for the size and weight it's amazing. Just open the exhaust port a bit and take the baffle out and it rips!

[BigDmike]

I got the Farm Boss. I use a saw 3+4 times a year so I'm good.

[aquaticconceptsbringingwaterto]

Happy New Year to the Morgan family. Quote of the day:

Smile every chance you get; not because life has been easy, perfect, or exactly as you had anticipated, but because you choose to be happy and grateful for all the good things you do have, and all the problems you don’t have. You must accept the that life is not perfect, that people are not perfect, and that you are not perfect. that’s okay, because the real world doesn't reward perfection. It rewards people who have intent and are determined to get things done. Each of us has the power to make a difference regardless of how trivial it may appear to us at the time, It is the intention that carries the true meaning of the act! Kindness and love are the most rewarding gifts we can give, and they don't have a price tag attached to them. Make today your chance to give something back...your reward will be in how it makes you feel! ~ George Wheeler

[GPOutdoors]

Hands down I agree Mike. Definitely, the 261 is worth the extra $$ . Thanks for the comparison. Very helpful. Cheers!

[groundpounder]

I have my guys run a 271 for a top/brush saw with the occasional bucking as well. It has been a great saw and saves my company some money. Iv not had any complaints and i feel the 271 is a excellent saw for professional use. Ours get ran almost daily and has been for the last 3 yrs with no issues whatsoever.

[profdave]

I think one thing that few have mentioned in the comments, although Mike does in the overview of the saws, is the weight. I have cut firewood for over 40 years, some from purchased logs and more recently from a hundred acre property I bought 5 years ago. While the difference of a pound and a half may not seem much when you’re 30 or 40 or even 50, for most of us, once we hit our 60’s, even half a pound makes a difference when you’re throwing a saw around for hours at a time. This is less noticeable if you’re just bucking up logs, but when felling, limbing, as well as bucking, that little bit of weight is really noticeable on 60-something (or 70... or 80) year old bodies. Many of us develop arthritis and are living with old injuries (usually from silliness in our youth!) that we really feel after hours on a saw.
I started on finger-numbing, ear-splitting Pioneers with no chain brake, and after a close call on a kick-back (with the scar to prove it), I moved to a “modern” Stihl 028 Wood Boss. That saw stills runs like new with only a few carb cleanings to keep it going, but over the years I have acquired a MS170 (wilderness camping and light work), a MS250 (best power to weight in the Stihl consumer saws), a MS362 for bigger work, and recently a MS261. The power, lighter weight, and virtually zero vibration on the 261 and 362 are amazing.
However, given all of these saws I own and use, for anyone that wants the absolute best performing all around LOW COST LOW WEIGHT saw for occasional use with moderate size wood, my top recommendation would be a MS250 with an 18” blade - it is an outstanding combination of power, weight, and cost. Check the specs - the 250 is 3hp at 10.1 lbs. The 271 is 3.5hp at 12.2 lbs. You’ barely notice the hp difference but you will surely feel that extra 2.1 lbs!

[msaul]

after a ton of research, I decided on a 271 2 years ago. I had tried an old 029, and it was just too much beast for me. I've felled at least 30 trees with it, and cut them up a bit. if I had some more spending money, I probably would've went with a 261 just for the weight of it, but i'm happy with my 271.

[MOzarkMike]

If you put 400 hours a year on the saw, the price diff is .50 an hour. If you put 25 hrs on it it’s an $8 difference. Choose the farm saw unless you do enough to need the robustness and features.

[hogman]

Good comparison!!, I have the 261 and love it!! Over time it has paid for the difference, IMO!

[DrakeMiester]

That 1/2 hp made a little difference and at the end of the day the lighter weight of the 261 would as well, great info Mike, thanks for sharing.

[dmacwv]

Great video! Hit every point I was debating while I was searching for a new saw. I went with the 261-more power, less weight. I also chose the M-tronic option. I've never had fiddle with carb settings, and it's worked perfectly.

[bradleyfrederickson]

I use my 261 at -20F and it's flawless. Usually take 5 or 6 pulls at that temp but it always starts and runs for me. Coldest I've tested it at was -43F and even then it wanted to run but I sure didn't want anymore than to cold start it just to see how reliable it is in extreme cold and it's crazy.

[Jay]

271 Plastic case is just a housing the engine is bolted into it. Crank case and cylinder are one piece. Ms261 case is the crankcase and the cylinder is removable. 261 also has better vibrations damping