Stihl 440 vs 460

[climber8483]

Dan,
What are the differences and which would you buy and why between the 440 and 460 and their variations. ie 441/044/046?

Thanks,
Brittain

 

[wadeclinton]

Not Dan here but I can chime in. Don't buy the 440. In the wildland fire service they have been nothing but problems. The 460 is the current medium saw stihl makes. 046 was a previous model like the 44 was. I would recommend either a 460 or a husky 372. Either saw will treat you well.

 

[D'Animal]

Can you provide details or you heard about it from a guy who knows somebody who has a cousin who overheard a conversation while sitting around a campfire?

Don't buy the 440. In the wildland fire service they have been nothing but problems.

 

[D'Animal]

The MS 440 was discontinued for sale in the USA in 2008. You cannot buy a new one unless you stumble on a dealer who has a new one in stock.

The MS 441 weighs the same as the MS 460. Depending on where you live, The MS 441 is $75.00 less than and MS 460 of the same configuration (flush handle bar vs wrap handle bar). The MS 441 is a more advanced design of 2-cycle engine. You must re-adjust the carburetor ever time you change elevation by 2,000ft. If you do not, it will run poorly. The new for 2011 MS441 has an automatic adjsuting carburetor which elimates this.

The MS 460 has more power and more torque. If you are dropping timber you will notice the power. if you are cutting firewood and running a 20" bar with a sharp chain, you will not tap into the true torque of the saw.

I own 1 MS 460 and 1 046 and 1 046 Magnum. I use my 046 Magnum when I go and do trail openings in the spring. Some of the trails are at 9,000ft elevation.

I have a almost new Husqvarna 372 in the for sale section in my thread Non California Hand Held Equipment For Sale thread for 30% off list.

 

[wadeclinton]

No, no cousin heard that around a camp fire. We have had numerous crews try them out. They reported increased adjustment and maintenance needs. The maintenance needs were various from carb problems, oiler problems and the list goes on. The 460 has proven to be a more robust saw while it still requires maintenance is still needed it just is less. I myself prefer the 372. For me it's is easier on the hands and better balanced, when running it in the brush.

 

[dohcdelsol93]

most of the issues you will have with any saw is fuel related/

You run crap gas in it, you will have problems. You can and will buy crap gas right out of the pump. These saws are high perfomance engines so running your local high ethanol/low octane chain gas station fuel can and will give you issues.

same with oiler problems, most of the time when the oiler stops working it's not a bad oiler/worm gear. It's a tank full of trash/saw dust where the operator never cleans the cap before removal to fill the case up with bar oil. It cloggs up the filter/lines