Need my first chainsaw for home yard work?

I suggest a Stihl with an 18" bar. Buy two extra chains. Have your buddy teach you how to handle the saw safely.

I have a stihl MS310 and a MS170. 170 is fantastic for limbs and my 310 with a 20” bar handles just about anything I need. Would like to upgrade to a pro saw. Like a 360 or 440
As far as brands, stick with Stihl or Husqvarna. There’s a reason the pros pretty much only use those two. Great deals can be found at pawn shops and on Facebook marketplace.

18" is always a good all around size.

I don't know many people that would not recommend a stihl. That's probably one of the only consensus on the OB lol

Stihl MS250 is a solid choice. Echo CS-400 is also a good choice.

A Stihl MS 250 is a good mid-priced saw. Go with a 16" bar. 16" bar will cut a 30" diameter tree, and a shorter bar is safer than a longer bar. BUY A GOOD PAIR OF SAW CHAPS, AND WEAR THEM.

That’s allot of trees for 1/2 acre! I have an old Stihl MS170 and upgraded to 14”bar. I can get allot done with this little saw. A little bigger would be nice though

stihl

Op's probably off a bit, either in number or size of trees.

I cant judge anybody. I learned how to cut trees by picking up a saw and cutting trees. I had a few close calls. Cutting trees is definitely one of the more dangerous things that people attempt to DIY.

Most are not 60' trees, the older bigger trees I'm mostly planning on leaving. Most of the laurel oaks im planning on cutting are 6-10 inch diameter, the back yard is basically all natural mature woods so I'm just trying to open up the back for some grass to grow. There's very sparse St Augustine because of the lack of light it's completely shaded right now. I counted 27 trees doing a half arse job looking out my back window and that didn't include one back corner, my front yard, and both side yards. House is a '85 and I'm guessing I have 3-4 live oaks about twice that age, 2-3 laurel oaks older then that, and the rest were all young or new since then. So how big does a laurel oak grow in 32 years?

Yes my plan is to have my buddy fell most of the trees especially all of the harder jobs. But I'll need a chain saw to cut them up, move them, trim branches, and fell smaller trees.

I hate buying a low end tool instead of spending a little more for something that makes the job easier. I realize chain saws are dangerous as hell, I'm in no hurry to get anything done. Just want to make the job as easy as possible.

Eta: just counted 47 trees. Probably a couple more small ones. It's a .54 acre lot, legit 1/2 acre. Many people call .3 lots half acre but not rounding makes a difference

For limbing a long bar is nice because it saves your back some but cutting small stuff near the tip of a long bar is how you get severe kickback and a saw stuck in your face. You have to be very aware of whats going on.

For what youre looking to do, an MS271 with 18" bar would be perfect. A 291 would be even better and would probably fell with a 20" bar with a good chain. Itd run the shite out of it limbing.

The most important things are keep the chain sharp, use good gas and good stihl oil for mixing (it has stabilizers in it) and store the saw per the instructions when putting it away. Chainsaws sit up a long time often and a little extra time spent putting it away will pay off when you use it again. Stihl is top notch but will not overcome poor storage habits.

Just go to your local stihl dealer and look at them. Youll be able to tell which one looks right for what you need to do. Dont be tricked into thinking you need a pro grade saw. They are awesome and if you just want to blow the money go ahead, but they are built for cutting 24/7/365 and the price reflects it. Even a homeowner grade would be fine for you if they make the size you want. I cut many chords of firewood with an MS170 and 14" bar.