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Husqvarna 346xp

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#4 ·
They aren't a bad saw for smaller wood. A good trim saw but can't keep up with the old 262 when in anything over 14 inches. I've stalled the 346 a couple times in a thick piece of oak. All in all considering what is available these days one of the better saws.
 
#5 ·
Depends how big the wood is that you'll be cutting, how much of it and how often.

Personally I'd get a stihl MS362, light enough to use a ton without tiring and has enough power to cut through oak almost as fast as you can push it with a 20" bar. <-having a properly sharpened chain helps a TON.

I've used Poulan, Husqvarna, and Stihl. Personally I don't like the Husqs, not enough power for how much they weigh compared to a Stihl. Poulan? POS..

Stihl "professional use" chainsaws are the shit, low handle vibration and tons of power for their size. Using Husqvarna, and stihl "home use" saws will wear you out if you're gonna be doing more than a couple hours of cutting, vibration dampening is meh.
 
#7 ·
I have a 346 and love it!
For oak / hard wood that are grown it's not enough but it WORKS great cutting, just not as fast as I'd like.

I have the 346XPG, I wouldn't get heated grips again biggest waist. A feature that is useless for me. Even when it's snowing the heat is way too warm even on the lowest setting.

The saw is awesome because of the size and power in the package it's in. I've taken down numerous oaks, 50+ pines, and I have 0 complaints.

I've only used mine with the 16" bar so I`m not sure how it performs with anything larger.

For power to weight ratio it's hard to beat this saw.

I want to get a 372 or larger and the tiny climbing saw sometime down the road.

What's nice about the 346 is that it's small enough to use to limb all day and you don't even know you were working at the end of the day... :smokin:
 
#8 · (Edited)
I have the 346xp with a 18" bar and it is a ripping little saw works great for me I leave my 262 at home nowadays and bring my 346 with me instead. I also have a 372xp with a 26" bar that flat eats anything I have thrown at it I cut nothing but oak!
I will never buy another stihl again they seem to be more tempormental than the huskys. My 262 husky is almost 14 yrs old and it is still running strong after hundreds of cords of wood!
 
#10 ·
I found the stihls to hold up to abuse/neglect beter than the huskys. We ran 440mags and 044's befor the number change. Loggers are less than tender with their equipment :shaking: I always hated the smaller displacement saws because the bars were so short. You had to bend over to limb, buck, and cut in the woods. Its different on a wood lot where you can get the logs up at waist level. but hours of bending and stooping with the saw would kill my back.

The 346 should be plenty of saw for the occasional home owner couple cords of wood a year. Run super and good mix oil and you'll be happy.
 
#11 ·
I have ran several Stihls. I liked them just fine. This spring my Stihl finally died off. It was an old used saw. A good friend offered me a Husky 350. I thought it was a toy since I had been running an old 056 Stihl....

A short story. I cut really close to home and I usually plan on a 2 hour round for a truck load of wood. I loaded up the 350 and told my wife I would be home in 4 hours because of the girl saw. Wrong! I was home in under 2 hours with no stiff back and it was that way the rest of the season.

Needless to say, I am sold. At some point I will likely get a new larger saw, but for now the little 350 gets it done. It is a joy to use.

Small saw with a 20" bar and a great chain can do alot more work than I thought!

FWIW-ROB
 
#12 ·
ToyotaJeep said:
I have ran several Stihls. I liked them just fine. This spring my Stihl finally died off. It was an old used saw. A good friend offered me a Husky 350. I thought it was a toy since I had been running an old 056 Stihl....

A short story. I cut really close to home and I usually plan on a 2 hour round for a truck load of wood. I loaded up the 350 and told my wife I would be home in 4 hours because of the girl saw. Wrong! I was home in under 2 hours with no stiff back and it was that way the rest of the season.

Needless to say, I am sold. At some point I will likely get a new larger saw, but for now the little 350 gets it done. It is a joy to use.

Small saw with a 20" bar and a great chain can do alot more work than I thought!

FWIW-ROB
Click to expand...
Jeezus, after packing around an 056, anything would feel like a feather! We had an 084 for 'big wood'. We hauled it on the skidder and used it just for falling the tree, then it went back on the skidder. No way it was getting packed around. Even the 440's got heavy after 6 hours.
 
#13 ·
binderbound said:
I found the stihls to hold up to abuse/neglect beter than the huskys. We ran 440mags and 044's befor the number change. Loggers are less than tender with their equipment :shaking: I always hated the smaller displacement saws because the bars were so short. You had to bend over to limb, buck, and cut in the woods. Its different on a wood lot where you can get the logs up at waist level. but hours of bending and stooping with the saw would kill my back.

The 346 should be plenty of saw for the occasional home owner couple cords of wood a year. Run super and good mix oil and you'll be happy.
Click to expand...
The loggers around here mostly use Huskys, and say that they find them to last just as long or longer than Stihls, and have less vibration, etc... Empirical evidence is just that...

Having said that, the 346XP is a really great all around saw in the midwest (maybe less so out west, where you're cutting 24-30" pine all the time)... The MS290 is a "landowner" saw, which really splits the difference between a "homeowner" saw and a "professional" saw, and in reality, will last you a LONG time, unless you use it all day, every day... The 346XP (or any pro-grade 50-60cc saw) is a really great all around size, and IMO, is the saw that you should have if you're only going to have 1 saw... They're powerful enough that very seldom do I need to go to the barn and get the 70+cc saw, and still light enough to use them all day. I run a 20" .325 NK, and it does just fine buried in oak... It actually cuts 16-18" oak very nearly as fast as one of our hunters' MS460 does, and feels like it weighs 1/2 as much...

Mike
 
#14 ·
If i was to buy my 372 a little sister it would be a 346. i've spent a good bit of time with one, and they are a ripper for small stuff, perfect with an 18" bar.

don't know if i ever will bother buying one though. the 372 is just overall so useful for everything that i can't justify another saw. the longer bar (28 in my case) really saves the back too.
 
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#15 ·
Skip the consumer grade saws and make sure you get a pro grade chainsaw. It's not that much more money for a saw that is better built, lighter, stronger and easier to maintain.

Don't waste your money on a Stihl 290. It's heavy, cumbersome, and doesn't have the power to weight that will make you happy. It is a consumer grade saw with a lot of ad hype. It is not cost effective to rebuild...I have two and wont buy them again.

Stihl pro grade saws made in Germany are a whole different game. I've got a MS262 (50cc class) and a MS360 Pro (60 cc class). Great saws, plenty of power. Built like a tank. Easy to rebuild and parts are reasonable. I love these saws with 3/8 0.50 chain. I highly recommend these two...either one will last you a lifetime.

I have a Husky 372XP 70cc class saw. Smooth and fast. I've never run a 346xp but you'll like it if it runs as smooth as a 372xp.

Another saw to consider in the 50cc class is the Dolmar / Makita 5100. Strong running and well built with metal crankcases. Better built than comparable price point Stihl or Husky. I have two p460s (45cc) saws....best built 45cc saw around.

Your Dealer and local service center will matter to you most when you choose your brand.....Husky, Stihl and Dolmar all make good pro grade saws. Getting parts and service when you need it sometimes isn't that easy.
 
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barton174
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