Minelab Excalibur 8" or 10" Coil

[Rockin Chairs Gold]

Minelab Excalibur 8" or 10" Coil

I am getting ready to purchase a new Minelab Excalibur ll water detector this spring. I have read everything I can get my hands on about this detector.

I have previously owned a Fisher 1280X and a Tesoro Sting Ray ll water detectors and always liked the Tesoro best as it did really good on small gold items. It finally died on me this past summer after 15 years of faithful use. Both these machines had 8" coils and I liked that particular coil. Always seemed to get good depth and they operated smoothly in or out of the water (fresh water).

My question is which coil would you recommend the 8" or 10". I have read where the 8" works better in salt water conditions as it handles the salt mineralization better. I have little experiance with salt water hunting but do plan on doing some since both my wife and I are now retired. But of course the 10" covers a lot more ground. I do not have the funds to purchase both machines and since you can not exchange coils with out sending it back to the factory I need to make a decision here.

I would like to tap your experiance and could sure use some input here. Thanks Rick

 

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[Daedalus]

Re: Minelab Excalibur 8" or 10" Coil

I do not know what is the best as you are asking but why do you not send your Tesoro Sting Ray ll in to the company? They have a life time warranty and will fix the machine for you.
Then you will have the one back that you really like.

 

[ron lord]

Re: Minelab Excalibur 8" or 10" Coil

Buy the 10" it go deep cover better,and you need to buy a straight shaft, it make the detector much easier to hunt with .

 

[mlayers]

Re: Minelab Excalibur 8" or 10" Coil

I got the 10" on my last year.

But I agree with Daedalus sen in your Tesoro an get it fixed. That is why you buy something with a lifetime warrenty get it fixed.

If you on't want to fix it sen it to me and I will get it fix for my daughter that is getting inteste in hunting.....Matt

 

[Can Slaw]

Re: Minelab Excalibur 8" or 10" Coil

The 10 inch coil works perfect in salt water and covers MORE ground on a large beach. Many with the Excal have even changed to a larger 15 inch WOT coil for more coverage and even greater depth. The 8 inch would be preferred if you were hunting a rocky beach and needed to get between the rocks.

Your Tesoro is not dead, only sick. They can be brought back to life or given a brand new life with their "lifetime warranty". Tesoro has announced they will start production again with the Tiger and Sand Shark models.

 

[Buried Crap NJ]

Re: Minelab Excalibur 8" or 10" Coil

I say get the 8 inch coil. They are much easier to adjust the threshold, the larger the coil the more it needs to be set more precise. Now the 10 coil covers more ground and can be set properly for hunting also.
I see more veterans/pro hunters hunting with the 8 inch coils. That's not to say they don't have 10 and 15 inch machines also,but they reach for the 8 inch more often. Especially when hunting new grounds. And by all means send the machine in for the repairs!

 

[Rockin Chairs Gold]

Re: Minelab Excalibur 8" or 10" Coil

Thanks guys for the advice. You folks like me seem to be pretty much split on which coil to go with. To bad my uncle wasn't a little more generous with the tax refund I'd buy both then my wife could have one to use.

I contacted Tesoro when my old Sting Ray died last summer. I have a cracked loop on it. At that time they were not replacing loops because of the water proofing problem. I see they are starting production on their water machines again so I will contact them again about repairs and if I'm lucky I will have a back up machine.

I think I will go with the 8" coil as I am used to working with that coil. It is lighter and easier to work with in salt water conditions. Either way I will be getting the straight shaft and a knob protector for the machine.

Thanks everyone for your help. Rick

 

[OBN]

Re: Minelab Excalibur 8" or 10" Coil

I have both and the eight does as well as the 10 in finding gold...during the summer months, but must be a Psychological thing because I will grab the 10 first everytime. Then I will think about how I started with the 8 and how well it did,................... O'well.... I'm taking the 10 anyway......