Husqvarna 550 VS Stihl 261 | Epic 50cc chainsaw battle! 

What muffler mod did you do?

Cut several slits on the left side of the muffler then added a stainless deflector

@@taylorjones8812 did it change the sound? Can you post a picture?

Yes it will change the sound because your opening it up more, saws run hot so trying to get the heat out is just relief for the motor. I would insert a pic in this comment but RU-vid won’t allow it

@@taylorjones8812 I agree. It's a good mod for the 261. Woke it up a bit. More throaty sounds too. I have both a 545mk 2 and 261. I grab 261 99 percent of the time due to its weight and control ability. I also find the Stihl stays in its higher rpm more too. I have buried in frozen spruce storm damage and they both cut like hell. But I prefer my 400c with a bark box over them even though it's heavier. But just a one saw job I grab 261.

Except in about 6 month you will have to bring your Husky for repair

THAT BE CORRECT. Try not to use fuel with ethnol in it It also mentions it in the manufacturers manuel ✔

I’ve always used straight gas in my 261 and it’s never leaked but the oil does

I'm a sthil guy 100% but my locally dealer is doing a 20% off sale on all Husky hand helds. I'm thinking about grabbing a 550xp for my only 50cc saw. My 026 is worn out after 20 years. You think I'll be happy with the 550xp or should i spend the extra money and get the 261? Thanks

Grab up a 550, you will be happy 👍🏻

@@cotontop3 thank you, Tim!

Good saw, great caps. I’ve never had issues with stihls caps

Did you buy it and if you did how is it, does it require alot of maintenance?

I agree why stihl why

Pro home owner. 🤣

it's opposed to an amature home owner. no homelite here bud lol

The 26 and 550 are 50cc jugged saws. I wouldn’t get a clamshell and I’m glad I did my research because I did want a 311 at one point. I’m also glad I didn’t waste my money on a 460 rancher when I had the $. Get a toasted 455 and bolt on the 460 jug and piston. We don’t grow trees out here in ENC big enough to use 60+ ccs on the average. I have a 261 and love it, but it’s only supposed to run a 16” or 18” bar so I tax it and now it’s smoking. The 372 is a dream internal clutch saw. So if you get it pamper the ell out of it put it away with stabil keep it clean etc it should last a lifetime. If you work those 50cc saws with big bars and hard work they will show eventually. The 372xp (don’t get the xTrq unless you want to swap top ends) has aftermarket all day everyone will want it resale blah blah but it’s much beefier so it can shrug off hard(er) work. Be weary of clone saws. I want one too but only expect the cases to be usable out of the whole thing. They will NOT run neck and neck and last as long as an oem will. There is no way forget the videos you see they’re salesman pushing plastic. Of course 100ccs of junk will run better than that old 42cc of trouble poulan you have experience with! It’s PHYSICS duh! While, it’s running… I wouldn’t get one unless I had a Meteor jug and piston waiting to go in it but having a machine shop cut the squish stops that for me. But then you get cast bar studs does the oiler work on/off switch etc? This and that. So I’m back to searching on the Bays.. at least you’ll have oem cases but even then did someone cut the seals out with a bread knife?? So think about that.

yeah you can clearly hear that

so is the dolmar pc5105 i have it (15 inch bar but is little smaller than the 261 and im sure it can pull 18 i just bought 15 because of the size of wood) and my dad has a 261 and that dolmar is almost half the price and runs same if not better than the stihl just a wicked saw its 2.8 kw and stihl is like 3kw i think but yeah a awesome saw

My Brother-in-law bought a demo 501 from the Echo dealer. Nice saw, it was close to my 261, cost less and 5 yr. Homeowner warranty. Cotton Top is a Husky guy, so no surprises

550 would be my choice. The 555 is the none pro version of the 562.

They sell stihl at farm and fleet and ace hardware.

Brad Petroski tree service in the long run which saw last longer?

Yes it’s a mark 2

Yes I'm not a fan of the primer, if the saw is tuned properly you dont need it, its just more stuff to go wrong

I don't see a need for a primer. Like others said more things to go wrong...

Don’t the B&M shops have online ordering? Most do nowadays!

261 will be fine for that.

Odd...I wonder why your company would continue to buy them if they have reliability issues. What exactly is failing on the Huskys?

@@mmholling87 some crews prefer husky’s so they buy them I like both and own both … husky saw prove to be harder starting we use 540 top handles and 201t ,550s 261 461 462 &372s . The 540s are by far the most problematic harder to start air filter issues oiler issues… I probably shouldn’t have said stihl last way longer they all have issues either brand would last if taken care of

I cleared land for an excavating company for 5 years. We had stihl and Husqvarna saws as well. The stihl’s did not require very much maintenance and just ran all the time. The Husqvarna saws stayed in the shop as much or more than they did on the job there was just always something wrong with them. When they ran they were nice. They just weren’t reliable though!

Husqvarna top handles suck but I like all of the commercial grade Husqvarnas

😂 stihl I wonder why my crew switched orange and white to pure orange xp 3 series and 5 series rule

Tyler I have both and this review is spot on. I am selling my 261 also the husky is that much better.

I've had an Echo for years and have had no need for dealership support. Anyone with basic mechanical skills can keep it maintained and running. My guess is the same is true for the Stihl and Husky? My Echo has worked well for my firewood needs and was inexpensive. I'm sure it wouldn't keep up with these beasts, but it has been very reliable. Great video!

were did u get screw caps for 261

I got mine from a local trade day and don’t remember the name on the bag the came with an insert that quarter turned into the original whole and use old style sthil screw in caps sorry I couldn’t be more help

Alex, I am a fan of both brands for sure. Sthil recalled the fuel caps years ago. The first one was my BR 600 backpack blower. Sthil needs to go to the standard scew in compressed caps like husky has. The have done so on the ms 170 back pack br 800X fs 70 r trimmer fs 111r also. I own these models.

Me eather, cheap crap

i have a 440e and a 550MkI .. they're both great.. the 440 is really light, easy to handle and I don't mind carrying it around. The 550 Mk I is only about 1 lb more (the MkII is over 2lbs more i believe).. lots more umph but, if it's a long walk to the work I grab the 440. I got mine as a refirb.. there was nothing wrong with it.. runs really well.. I'm very pleased with it.

Not on a small engine like a chainsaw

2 rings twice the friction twice the heat,

I have stihls from the 90s still kicking compression and start like new. Several Husqvarna's in the junk pile since then. They do have their advantages, but longevity is not one of them. Stihl absolutely lasts longer.

More oil will make the ring or rings seal bigger on any two stroke engine. Pistons and rings are pretty easy to replace and OEM husky parts are cheaper and more readily available than Stihl.

@@huntersidon Same here. I’ve got an 036 that’s cut firewood every year since 1995 and it still pulls like a new saw. Been on Amsoil since new. I don’t know anything about the durability of Stihl’s new saws but their older ones were made well.

Husqvarna sold sthil there first Gen of that tec so if you if u know saws sthil just in 3 Gen of that and Husqvarna in 5th I bought the new 545 couple weeks ago and loving it was going get a sthil but decided to stay with Husqvarna so now I got the 545. A redmax 7100 same as the 372 xt 2019 model a redmax g550 same as the 455 which I have had a 455 and Husqvarna did something different with their redmax 550 its alot better than the Husqvarna 455. Runs alot cooler don't vapor lock like the 455 did

How many times will you repeat your nagging? Are you paid to defend Stihl products whenever a posting shows up in social media? Didn't it occur to you, that you lose your credibility the more you poste your nonsense of "bad comparison", "not broken in", or "sponsorship". If you don't like it, then go out and make a youtube video, show to the rest of viewers in this channel, what you are talking about. Otherwise be polite and stop spamming.