re: Stihl MS 271 farm boss opinions

I struggled with mine new as well. After starting 2 million small engines in my life, the Stihl rep taught me chainsaws almost always work with one pull on full choke, one pull with choke off and anything more or less will not work. Has actually been the formula for all of mine.

I upgraded to a big saw a year ago and will never go back.

Get a saw with at least a 70 cc motor and you will be very happy you did. MUCH easier to use on big or small jobs.

Mine is a Husqvarna and it makes quick work of even hard jobs like cutting pecan. I have a smaller Stihl and it is a good saw but it works me a lot more than the big, faster saw. I paid about $1000 bucks for the big saw and I can’t remember the model number—it is at the farm. I think it has a 30 inch bar. I haven’t cranked the small saw since I bought the big one.

You have to get those pro size saws at an independent dealer.

I’ve got an older Farm Boss that my Dad bought 7 or 8 years ago. I bought the 250 as an additional saw for overhead and clean up work. I cut through trees up to 10 to 12 inches with the 250 but its not the most efficient. The Farm Boss runs well with that type tree and bigger. It too though can seem undersized when doing bigger or lots of work. I think I’d go even larger and more professionally focused if I had to buy another one.

All my Stihl’s engines usually start about the same way. Pull on full choke until it burps, then pull on partial choke until it starts in a couple of pulls. I’m worried the new emission or green engines may be different.