Got a MS270 with 16" bar. For the price it was hard to beat and it is much lighter than any of the mentioned saws, except the 260, which when I played with one had a lot of vibes I oculd feel in my bum left arm compared tot he other saws. My 272XP is right at 21 pounds iwth 20" bar. Even though the 270 is listed at close to 12 pounds (powerhead only) it still feels much lighter than it actually is with bar and full load of fuel and oil.

Tiny: Fresh Paint does not make the saw , don't fret the small stuff. Have the Saw demonstrate it's worth . It should start with 3-5 Pulls , fresh Properly mixed Fuel is imperative . I would 1st pull and check the plug this will give you a good indication of the state of condition of the saw's engine. It should be medium to light brown coloration . Any shiny metallic flecks (engine worn) . If you have a tester pull it over 4-5 times with the power switch off to get a accurate compression test. Should be in the 130 -160 Range . If not the running engine is your only real valid test . Also ensure the Oil Reservoir is full and ensure the chain is adjusted and rolls true and free . With a Roller tip bar 3/16 slack at mid bar before saw begins to lift . Solid nose bar slightly looser . Again if it fires and idles and runs up to wide open throttle without any issues and you have good compression it would be a great deal for the asking price since a electric sharpener is in the $100.00 range itself without additional tools . A new Bar and chain will be in the $30.00 $50.00 (Oregon) Range . There should be Oil fling off the Chain within a minute of running the saw at full throttle . Let us know what you find before you drop the $$$ If your serious , if it fails any of the above steer clear unless your maintenance friendly and get a reduced price . Buying a used saw is always Russian Roulette , but a little knowledge to what to look for can give you the advantage of knowing when to Hold-em and when to fold-em lol .

The 250 is a decent saw. Where I am coming from is that I had a 250 for a little over a year as my only saw. I have since sold that to a neighbor and now have have the 026 for my general use saw, a Stihl 200T for climbing and the Makita 6401/Dolmar 6400 for larger diameter. The 250 does well. You can run that saw pretty hard for what it is. You can climb with although it is a little bit heavy for extended climbing. You can put an 18" on it but it will definitely perform better with a 16". I'd strongly vote for you getting a saw larger than the 40-50cc you are looing at. Something in the 60-70cc range. I say this because you have your Wild Thing that is not the greatest saw but it is running and cutting well. Why pay money to buy something the same size but better built and stronger unless you have to get rid of the other one? Keep that Wild Thang and get a saw that will compliment it. And I will guarantee that if you get a 60-70cc Pro or at least mid-range Husky, Stihl or Dolmar, you may find yourself barely ever picking up the Wild Thang except when you need the lighter weight, when your bigger one is down or if a buddy is over helping you cut. I am not well versed in the Husky's but I know the 1xx series are not Husky made, I think they are Poulan made. The 3xx series I think is there pro grade, especially XP models. I also think the 4xx series is there mid range. The 346 I think is equivalent to the Stihl 260. By many accounts the 346 is a better saw. On the other hand, the 260 design has been around for 20 years and is tried and true. You can get Husky parts mailorder. I assume shop manuals are available. The mid-range Stihl's are very reliable. They are also heavy and harder to work on. Shop manuals are not easily available for Stihl. You can find them though if you know where to look. Although I don't know if it would be harder to get a manual for a mid-range saw, I just don't see the calls for them and therefore don't know if they are as readily available. Parts are only through Stihl dealers, but they are plentiful enough for most. That 360 is a very, very nice saw. The 440 is a great saw too. The Dolmar/Makita line is not a widely known brand but they really rock. Their biggest downfall is dealer support. Their pro models are xx00/xx01. You can get parts mail order. There are a couple dealers that are great to work with for them. With your engine experience, you're a great candidate for a used saw. In person is better than over the net for these purchases as you know. But if your model is harder to find, you may have to do the net thing. There are some specific tools you will have to either make or buy if you want to be able to do full engine breakdowns. As far as I know, some of the tools are chainsaw and even manufacturer specific. If you get a chance, rent a chainsaw from your HD. I have not heard of there being anything but Makita 6401s, but make sure you get one of those. Try that sucker out and see if you can live without a saw that size :). Post a way I can send you a note offline.

There are at least two types of vents on 026's. One looks like a rectangular thing (up to serial #X 30 976 774) the other is almost cylinder shaped ~3/4" tall and ~3/8" across (from serial #X 30 976 775). The second type is on the left side of the saw on the tank near the on-off-choke switch (toward the outside and forward I think) and I believe you have to remove the air filter to access it. The other one appears to be in about the same place. Both require that you at least remove the carburetor box cover. I have an 024/026 manual that shows this on page 64. If you need this manual, post a somewhat disguised email and I'll send you an electronic copy.