Thanks for the comments... I have used a few stihl saws and they cut what i was trying to cut... Im really just undecided if i want to go smaller, ms 170 which will do what i need and not have the extra bit of saw if needed or get a 250 sized saw and it should cover my needs if bigger cutting shud be needed. I think i might be leaning towards the 250 sized saw since it will be the only saw ill have.
My in-laws own and operate the largest outdoor equipment and logging supply store in the Adirondacks. Today they only sell Husqvarna, but up until a couple years ago they also were the second largest Stihl dealer in the state. They still service both brands. According to them, they see both brands in for repairs with the same frequency. They don't believe one is more reliable than the other. They previously owned their own logging business for 30 years and carried Husqvarna's for their personal saws 300+ days a year. They believe that both are quality, but the Husqvarna's are lighter when considering their XP series to Stihl's Pro series saws, and the Husqvarnas are also typically less expensive. They also believe that Stihl's are much better marketed and that's what makes them so popular. When my in-laws kicked the Stihl line out of the shop they had a bunch of used saws they gave me. I have an 029 that is swapped over to a 3/8" chain/sprocket setup with a 20" bar. It's a great all around saw but it will struggle a bit in wet oak with the 20" bar. The oiler is also maxed out with the 20" bar and there are times I have to take it easy and make sure it's throwing enough oil. I also have three little 017's that I use for limbing and clearing shooting lanes, they are great little saws. Someday I will likely swap the 029 down to a 16" bar and then get a big saw for the bigger jobs. I'd love to have a 576 XP with about a 24" bar.
Back in 99 the blow down in the BACAW happened, I spent weeks running a chainsaw. The MN DNR has a contract with stihl, the saws ran flawlessly day in and day out. The 044 is a torgue machine when you dog in a 20" bar it will not bog down. The only thing I hated about the saw was the lack of compression release, the saw would be refueled and restarted hot and the restart was hard on the fingers. That being said that was 15 years ago. I do have a Husky that I have had for 15 years and until last fall I had never had to pull the spark plug. Only use a plastic gas can and add seafoam to the gas when you buy it. I try not to buy more than a gallon of saw gas at a time so it does not get old.
I used to trim professionally and run the following Stihl's 201t, HT75, MS290, 192T, 191T. They all run like champs if you take care of them. I would look at Echo saws too. They are highly under rate IMO and more affordable than the Stihl's. Also a good polesaw with a 13 inch blade is a good choice for clearing shooting lanes.
I've never had a problem with Ethanol gas in any of my small engines. However, I never let it sit in there for very long or I use this:
Well how long does it take? I have been burning crap fuel it in long before the ethanol mandate started.
Thank you Mr. Obvious! However it shouldn't leak the bar oil no matter which way it's setting. It would be like saying, "I see you lost a shoe. Don't worry about having 2 just hop on one leg."
Just telling you what I have done to avoid having the saw leak oil while it is in storage, lot more productive than complaining about leaking oil.
It depends on the ethanol %. I had been using normal pump fuel for years as well with no problems. What finally caused the problem was I happened to get a pump fuel over 10% Ethanol and ruined both saws at the same time in one use. I thought it was bunk too until it ruined ~$800 worth of chainsaws that were still like new.
