HUSQVARNA 346 XP®
4.9
5
67
67
The 346XP experience
I just replaced 2 consumer grade saws with 346XP saws due to the durability of pro grade saws. The consumers were Husqvarna as well but there is a huge difference and not just in durability. The 346XP weighs a little more than the 435 qnd 445 I traded in but the chain speed, fast acceleration, balance, antivibration and overall manuverability that I gained was well worth it not to mention the power increase. I use the 346XP for limbing primarily with a 16" bar but it is capable of much more at 50cc's. What I paid in price difference was easily made up in time saved in limbing out fell trees. If you are looking for a high speed limbing machine that doesn't wear you out by days end then you should experience the 346XP's capabilities. You will not be disappointed I am sure.
November 4, 2012
Great Saw
I am very happy with the saw so far. I was somewhat dissappointed the muffler bolts fell out after 30 minutes of use. On a positive note my dealer took care of me and replaced the bolts free of charge. The saw has plenty of power and cuts wood like a dream with a 16" bar. The 20" bar slows things down a bit but still cuts well.
October 22, 2012
Husqvarna 346XP
SInce 2004, I have used the (now discontinued) Husqvarna 350 which is now my backup saw. (I always carry two saws in the field.) To replace it with a primary saw, I chose the Husqvarna 346XP. The 346XP is rated at 20% more horsepower--while at the same powerhead weight of 11 pounds as the 350--and the extra power is immediately noticeable in the cutting speed (rpms) and acceleration. This saw also cranks easily. While not a professional logger, I cut many cords of firewood each year for a primary heat source, and this saw is already reducing the time requirement. I would recommend the 346XP to any serious firewood user.
October 4, 2012
great saw
This is my first pro series saw and Like others have said what a huge difference. I cut and bucked a whole cord of wood this weekend with the saw. The saw never missed a beat. This saw uses more fuel than my 445 but it has more power and just screams! The saw has plenty of power for doing most task. Yes there are times you could use a larger saw. However this saw will do everything it just might be slower in larger wood. If you want a light weight saw that has plenty of power and is very durable buy this saw.
September 17, 2012
Great saw, limited torque.
this saw is tough as nails. I dropped one from 50 feet. It landed on the started mechanism.. which was in a pile of ash.. saw hit very very hard and I was convinced it was destroyed; end of the day and I was tired. Luckily nobody was injured. Ground guy picked up the saw and started right up. He shook it around a little bit and a piece of plastic fell out. He sent the saw back up and I blocked out the rest of the tree. A little down and on torque; really like to rev. And the .325 chain is sort of a pain...
other than that, you cant get any tougher or all around better as a smaller climbing saw. LIGHT yet can move more wood than the top handles for the weight vs. speed.
Part was 10 bucks and installed for free... can't ask for a better product. Good price for the saw as well.
August 22, 2012
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