HUSQVARNA 346 XP®
4.9
5
54
54
Why buy anything else
This is my 3rd Husqvarna saw and joins my 372xp and 353. It is a good woods saw and easy to run all day. I haven't come up with any cons for owning it.
April 24, 2012
After a few tanks of gas.....
Let me start first by saying that I own a 372XP which I absolutely love. I was in the market for a smaller saw, and was hoping this saw would be a 50cc version of the 372, but it’s not. It’s an entirely different creature. It’s a good saw, but the 346XP could be a great saw, if they only incorporated those things which make the 372 a great saw, into this one. I don’t see why they couldn’t make those changes. I also had a hard time finding out information on this saw online. I live 45 minutes from the nearest dealer, so I rely on the web to do my research.
First things first –my saw is an E-Tech, meaning it has a catalytic muffler, and green gas cap. According to my dealer, all 346XPs sold in the United States are now E-Techs. That’s not reflected here on the website.
The 346XP has an outboard clutch. I prefer inboard. This saw comes with a spur sprocket, I prefer rim sprocket. You can buy a rim sprocket conversion set for this saw from Oregon. That is what I did. This saw has a cartridge style air filter held on “bail style”. I prefer the heavy duty automotive style filter of the 372XP. I do not know any way to convert this saw to that style of filter. This saw has a port in the dome that you can open in cold weather to pull engine warmed air into the carburetor chamber. This saw has one bumper spike. I prefer two, like the 372XP has. On the 372XP, they have a piece of plastic attached to the bumper spike which helps the saw sit upright. This saw has nothing like that and it's tipsy. It’ll fall over pretty easy in the back of your pickup. This saw comes factory with .325 chain. I have never run .325 chain before, but so far, so good. I know some people who say they’ve changed their 346XPs over to run 3/8” chain. The oiler for this saw has only 3 settings. I am running a 20” bar and with the oiler set to three (wide open), it oils the 20” bar sufficiently.
I will say this. This saw is the nicest starting saw that I’ve ever had. It starts very easily. It has a decompression valve, but we don’t use it. It starts just as well cold as it does warm. It’s a smooth running saw. It has good power for a 50cc saw, especially in light of it having a catalytic muffler. We’ve been cutting solid oak with it, and with the 20” bar, there have been some spots where it’s bogging down a bit, but that’s to be expected with a saw of this size. It does very well for 50cc and a 20” bar with full chisel chain. This saw is light. It weighs less than my 42cc Poulan with 18” bar. The anti vibration measures are top notch. You hardly feel any vibration while cutting.
Would I recommend this saw? I suppose so. If you’re looking for a good 50cc saw to match with a larger saw, this would be a good candidate. However, after owning the 372XP, I was expecting more from this saw. Not in the terms of power, but features. I don’t see why Husqvarna doesn’t make this saw a 50cc version of the 372XP. The 346XP is a very good saw, but if those features from the 372XP were added, it could be a great saw.
April 11, 2012
Great Little Saw
I decided to try a 346xp after reading all the positive reviews on them, and I am very glad I did. I have owned mainly Stihls for the past 25 years and never imagined I'd like another brand saw this much. It is an absolute joy to run.. smooth, light, and very fast. The build quality seems to be on par with any saw on the market as well. I only wish I had tried one of these a long time ago.
March 5, 2012
Didn't think twice !
Growing up dad used a heavier, slower rpm saw that was sold by a local hardware store. When I became a homeowner with wood to cut and property to cleanup, I wanted that orange thing made in Sweden. (Didn't really know how to say Husqvarna.) That was my first saw 10 or 12 years ago. A 346xp, thinking that the xp meant extra power. To this day, don't know if that is what it stands for but if the shoe fits, wear it - right. When that orange thing finally started losing compression, I didn't think twice about what to replace it with - another orange 346xp. Looks about the same, feels about the same (light weight and great balance - unmatched), uses all that xp (extra power) to make my jobs easy, and gives me the opportunity to pass ol'faithful down to my teenage boys as a learning tool. I said that ol'faithful started losing compression, not that he died.
February 9, 2012
small and preforms well
this is a fast little brush for limbing fur and spruce as cedar i love this saw along with the other husky saws of min which i have around 30 and i just bought another 372xp but the next one on my list is the new 562xp which i need a new bottom end to a 262xp so that ones in pieces but i will only run my husqvarna saws .
January 31, 2012
Fantastic saw!!
This saw is a smaller saw but don't let that fool yah! I got this saw after researching the net & it was between this and the stihl 260 pro. More positve reviews. I have cut 10 cords of wood & this saw flat out cuts.
I would recommend this saw to anyone who appreciates quality & performance.
January 19, 2012
Great Saw
Purchased this saw a few weeks ago and have been nothing but happy with it! It starts great and cuts even better! I had an older rancher series saw that worked well, but this saw is even better. Much lighter with more power! They did a great job in designing this one! I have only used it for about 5 hours of cutting so far, but it has been fantastic in cutting thru two 36" dia white oaks I had cut down late last fall.
January 11, 2012
Good saw
I have had this saw for 18 months had a few problems that were covered. Has power to do small to medium jobs. more saw than a novice would need less than a everyday cutter would need. Very good medium saw. Took abuse well and got the job done. Compression release not really needed but helped on cold mornings ( 10 deg F. ) Once the saw is warmed up not needed. Adjustable oiler was helpful for climate changes, without having to change oil for summer/winter.
January 9, 2012