The smallest gas saw Stihl makes, and it exists for one job: pruning and small removals from inside a tree, on a rope, where every ounce hanging off a harness matters. 23.6cc and 6.1 lb of powerhead — 6.9 lb with the 10-inch bar — running a 1/4" .043" PM3 chain that leaves a very clean face on 4- to 6-inch limbs. Climbers who use them say the power-to-weight is what sells it; nobody buys one to cut firewood. The price is the shock: $850 for 23.6cc, because this is a professional in-tree tool priced against the MSA 161 T battery saw rather than against homeowner saws. Two hard constraints before you order one: Stihl does not sell it in California, and as an MS-T top-handle saw it carries no consumer warranty at all — three months, professional use only.

Best for: Working climbers who need the lightest possible gas saw on a harness for pruning and small in-tree removals.

Specifications

Engine class: 30cc class (by displacement)
Engine: 23.6 cc
Rated power: 1.1 kW
Bar length: 10 in
Bar range: 10-12 in
Single-pass cut: about 8 in (bar minus 2)
Chain: 1/4" pitch / .043" gauge (71 PM3)
Weight: 6.1 lb, powerhead only, without fuel (6.9 lb with the 10" bar and chain)
Power type: Gas
Use case: Arborist
Warranty: 3-month professional use only — Stihl grants no consumer warranty on MS-T top-handle saws
Model: MS 151 T C-E

Manufacturer figures except the engine class and single-pass cut, which are derived here. What each spec means

Stihl's lightest gas saw, 6.1 lb
1/4" PM3 fine-cut chain
$850 for 23.6cc

What owners like

6.1 lb powerhead — the lightest gas chainsaw Stihl sells, and climbers say the fatigue difference over a day is obvious
1/4" .043" PM3 chain gives a precise, clean cut face on small limbs
Easy2Start recoil matters more here than anywhere: one-hand-awkward starts on a rope get easier
IntelliCarb holds the mixture as the filter loads with sawdust in-canopy

Common complaints

$850 for a 23.6cc saw — priced as a professional tool, not a small saw
No consumer warranty at all: Stihl's 2026 policy gives MS-T top-handle saws 3 months, professional use only
Not sold or delivered in California
Top-handle saws are for trained climbers; ground use one-handed is how people get hurt
10-inch bar and 1.1 kW cap it at light pruning — it is not a backup felling saw