Best PI machine for Salt beach

dirtdigger1581

Hero Member
Jun 18, 2011
591
270
Chesapeake, VA
Detector(s) used
Minelab E-trac, Minelab Excalibur II 1000, Garrett AT Pro, Teknetics T2
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I'm thinking about buying a PI machine for hunting the wet sand and shallow water(up to chest deep) of a salt water beach. I'm wondering what the opinions of everyone here are as to what PI machine is best for this application. I currently use an Excal II for the beach and it's been great, but I've heard there is a big depth advantage over the Excal when going to a PI machine. How deep can they actually get compared to the Excal? I don't mind digging a few more targets while on the beach if it gets me a few more goodies that are missed by the Excal. What's everyone's take on this? And what does anyone have experience with? Thanks for your help!

Happy Hunting!

-Nate
 

Upvote 0

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,419
30,081
White Plains, New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Also machine means squat if a hunter doesn't know how or where to hunt... you can have the deepest machine on the beach and if one is meandering around in overburden all they will come home with lightweight trash :)

Sounds exactly like what I have said over and over Craig..

Again.. You mean, a Five-year-old can't successfully beep a beach? Seriously. Now getting IN the water (past your knees) is a different animal, yes it is harder physically here on the East Coast Atlantic beaches, but on Long Island Sound or in parts the Gulf it is a piece of cake, more or less like being in a lake. Reading the beach? Takes about one-minute to learn for anyone with a high school diploma.

Metal detecting has become so easy with the new machines and technology these days that any moron can do it. I was so surprised when I decided to get into beach detecting. As a nuggetshooter, it is like going on vacation to a spa. No bending down on one knee, no ground adjustments every 10-minutes, no cactus, no rocks, caliche, dust, kneepads... It is a day at the beach!

Sorry if I hurt a bunch of feelings guys, but dirt hunters look at the beach as easy pickin's. With beach hunting there is but ONE concern - Volume. How many people are using the beach. In Craig's case, it is how many people were using this beach 100-years ago. That research I can respect.

Research - not your machine.. Location - not your machine. If I have a better location to detect with a Garrett Ace 250, than you do with your Tesoro Sand Shark, Guess who will find more..

Beach detecting is easy compared to dirt detecting.
 

hamiddetecting

Gold Member
Feb 22, 2012
6,398
2,510
North Pole
Detector(s) used
Sovereign GT and Excalibur II, Whites, Garrett, Fisher, Alert, MD,Cscope,Tesoro, Compas, XP, Long Rs
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Sovereign GT with big search coil is deepest than MD PI.
 

hamiddetecting

Gold Member
Feb 22, 2012
6,398
2,510
North Pole
Detector(s) used
Sovereign GT and Excalibur II, Whites, Garrett, Fisher, Alert, MD,Cscope,Tesoro, Compas, XP, Long Rs
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I just give my idea so Sov GT will to be my ultimate weapon. I wish you luck find great treasure Aka Nameless
Yeah, the Sov GT and Excalibur are great machines. We are just arguing about which PI machine is the deepest on the beach. The Whites TDI would probably beat them all...
 

Craig-PI

Full Member
Feb 19, 2011
142
32
Connecticut
Detector(s) used
Whites Dual Field PI Minelab Sovereign GT Teknetics T2
You are over simplifying the waterhunting end of the hobby... every part of the country is not the same... we may not have big waves but we have mud and rocks and boulders up here... our digging is anything but easy... go out and hunt where I hunt and move a 20 pound rock with your scoop while in chest deep murky water and tell me its easy... you're excused because you are new to beach hunting :)



Sounds exactly like what I have said over and over Craig..

Again.. You mean, a Five-year-old can't successfully beep a beach? Seriously. Now getting IN the water (past your knees) is a different animal, yes it is harder physically here on the East Coast Atlantic beaches, but on Long Island Sound or in parts the Gulf it is a piece of cake, more or less like being in a lake. Reading the beach? Takes about one-minute to learn for anyone with a high school diploma.

Metal detecting has become so easy with the new machines and technology these days that any moron can do it. I was so surprised when I decided to get into beach detecting. As a nuggetshooter, it is like going on vacation to a spa. No bending down on one knee, no ground adjustments every 10-minutes, no cactus, no rocks, caliche, dust, kneepads... It is a day at the beach!

Sorry if I hurt a bunch of feelings guys, but dirt hunters look at the beach as easy pickin's. With beach hunting there is but ONE concern - Volume. How many people are using the beach. In Craig's case, it is how many people were using this beach 100-years ago. That research I can respect.

Research - not your machine.. Location - not your machine. If I have a better location to detect with a Garrett Ace 250, than you do with your Tesoro Sand Shark, Guess who will find more..

Beach detecting is easy compared to dirt detecting.
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,419
30,081
White Plains, New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
 

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Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,419
30,081
White Plains, New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
You are over simplifying the waterhunting end of the hobby... every part of the country is not the same... we may not have big waves but we have mud and rocks and boulders up here... our digging is anything but easy... go out and hunt where I hunt and move a 20 pound rock with your scoop while in chest deep murky water and tell me its easy... you're excused because you are new to beach hunting :)


And here I was thinking you are over complicating the water hunting end of our hobby - Silly Me! You have to move rocks? Oh my gosh! Well that changes everything..
 

Aka Nameless

Full Member
Aug 13, 2008
132
29
West Coast
Detector(s) used
Infinium LS, Tejon, F3, CZ21
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
And here I was thinking you are over complicating the water hunting end of our hobby - Silly Me! You have to move rocks? Oh my gosh! Well that changes everything..

Terry, you aren't fooling anyone anymore... it's obvious you are just a Tesoro junkie. Don't know why you posted that other Sand Shark video, not very impressive either... wait til you see my Infinium video...
 

Can Slaw

Sr. Member
Nov 20, 2007
461
47
So Gulf Coast, FL
Detector(s) used
Excalibur, CZ-21 Sov. GT, Sea Hunter MK II, CZ-6a, Troy X5, MXT, Ace 250
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
Terry, you aren't fooling anyone anymore... it's obvious you are just a Tesoro junkie. Don't know why you posted that other Sand Shark video, not very impressive either... wait til you see my Infinium video...
I also watched the video twice and did not hear the tones that was being called off on the targets depth. I do appreciate the effort to make the video and will look forward to the other videos.
 

hobbit

Sr. Member
Oct 1, 2010
304
110



First of all, thanks for taking the time to make the test. I thought the results were pretty much identical...the only difference being the shape of the gold tested...better depth on solid ring objects than on straight elongated ones...remember the drastic difference in depth in my original test between the 4g ring and the 3g charm? Shape does make a significant difference..
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,419
30,081
White Plains, New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Terry, you aren't fooling anyone anymore... it's obvious you are just a Tesoro junkie. Don't know why you posted that other Sand Shark video, not very impressive either... wait til you see my Infinium video...

 

hamiddetecting

Gold Member
Feb 22, 2012
6,398
2,510
North Pole
Detector(s) used
Sovereign GT and Excalibur II, Whites, Garrett, Fisher, Alert, MD,Cscope,Tesoro, Compas, XP, Long Rs
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
With Sov GT i found coin its 2 fet of deep. fet.jpg
 

Craig-PI

Full Member
Feb 19, 2011
142
32
Connecticut
Detector(s) used
Whites Dual Field PI Minelab Sovereign GT Teknetics T2
I haven't seen you hunt in the rocks yet in chest deep water come join us :laughing7: just leave the camera and bikini clad women at home :)

And here I was thinking you are over complicating the water hunting end of our hobby - Silly Me! You have to move rocks? Oh my gosh! Well that changes everything..
 

firstbiggestmost

Full Member
Oct 29, 2009
127
1
Florida
Detector(s) used
Excall II, Tesoro Sand Shark
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
First of all, thanks for taking the time to make the test. I thought the results were pretty much identical...the only difference being the shape of the gold tested...better depth on solid ring objects than on straight elongated ones...remember the drastic difference in depth in my original test between the 4g ring and the 3g charm? Shape does make a significant difference..

Thanks man and I enjoyed your videos too. I realize that we weren’t able to use the exact items in our videos but my .4 gram hoop was very close to your .3 gram hoop and my machine could pick it up fine. Not supper deep. maybe only 2-3 inches but still quite detectable.

I seem to remember you wanting to find chains, and you mention in the video that your machine cant see the "sum" of the hoops. If your machine cant pick up those earrings hooked together like a piece of chain or as a single link, you should probably send your machine and coil in to be tested. Hell The way your machine hits on your pendant (which is really pretty big)is another good reason to box her up for Arizona. So I think that part of your video is misinforming.

What I really liked in your video series is seeing how the machines, especially the ones with the large coils hit on the rings. At depth. I know personally when I first started I have confused sensitivity to mean the ability to detect the smallest possible object, but now I think the real value is in being able to detect the type of item you want (turns out I don’t really care about the super small stuff lol), like say that 1.5-2.0 gram diamond ring at the best depth. Now that is th kind of sensitivity I can use. :icon_thumright:
 

firstbiggestmost

Full Member
Oct 29, 2009
127
1
Florida
Detector(s) used
Excall II, Tesoro Sand Shark
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Terry, you aren't fooling anyone anymore... it's obvious you are just a Tesoro junkie. Don't know why you posted that other Sand Shark video, not very impressive either... wait til you see my Infinium video...


I know I'm really looking forward to seeing the video. It seems like it should be one bad mofo.
 

hamiddetecting

Gold Member
Feb 22, 2012
6,398
2,510
North Pole
Detector(s) used
Sovereign GT and Excalibur II, Whites, Garrett, Fisher, Alert, MD,Cscope,Tesoro, Compas, XP, Long Rs
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Bielive it or not, what do i want to win. Sov Gt is great machine. For best results: The Machine in good hands with hunters (how to scan)+ Spirit hunter + high on the beach (acquired by habit). Detection by Hamid. Happy hunting
Doubtful =/
 

Aka Nameless

Full Member
Aug 13, 2008
132
29
West Coast
Detector(s) used
Infinium LS, Tejon, F3, CZ21
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Bielive it or not, what do i want to win. Sov Gt is great machine. For best results:TheMachine in goodhands withhunters(how to scan)+Spirithunter+high onthe beach(acquired by habit).DetectionbyHamid.Happy hunting

Sov GT is definitely a great machine, but nobody would use PIs if the Sov GT could get 2 feet on a coin.
 

Apr 22, 2011
329
358
Long Island, NY
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
CTX 3030
Excal II
Coinmaster Pro
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Nate, great question.
What do you think I should buy for salt water hunting.
Wet sand and in the water.
Everyone now just tell me why you like your machine for the
above conditions.
I don't care why you dislike any other machine just why you
like your machine.
Tell me with less words rather than more words.
Tell me how many hours you have logged and
how much, total, pure GOLD gold you have found.
If you all would be so kind do this it would
greatly help me make up my mind.
Thanks and play nice.
 

Aka Nameless

Full Member
Aug 13, 2008
132
29
West Coast
Detector(s) used
Infinium LS, Tejon, F3, CZ21
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Nate, great question.
What do you think I should buy for salt water hunting.
Wet sand and in the water.
Everyone now just tell me why you like your machine for the
above conditions.
I don't care why you dislike any other machine just why you
like your machine.
Tell me with less words rather than more words.
Tell me how many hours you have logged and
how much, total, pure GOLD gold you have found.
If you all would be so kind do this it would
greatly help me make up my mind.
Thanks and play nice.

IMO, if I could do it all over again, and buy one beach machine... it would be an Excal... it's nice having a super deep PI (Infinium), but sometimes disc is more important that depth, and it gets annoying digging 10 pieces of iron for every coin. I'm like the only guy using a PI on my beaches, so the others guys leave all the iron for me to dig... I'm keeping the Infinium cause it's an amazing machine, but I'll be buying an Excal or CTX 3030 (depending on price/performance) pretty soon.
 

Last edited:

Craig-PI

Full Member
Feb 19, 2011
142
32
Connecticut
Detector(s) used
Whites Dual Field PI Minelab Sovereign GT Teknetics T2
It depends on how much iron you have on your beaches and in the water... here on the connecticut side most of the iron is in the wet sand so I hunt with a PI in the water and the GT in the wet sand... I have hunted waterhunted for 8 years, I try and hunt a few times per month if time allows ... how much gold? plenty over those 8 years...

Nate, great question.
What do you think I should buy for salt water hunting.
Wet sand and in the water.
Everyone now just tell me why you like your machine for the
above conditions.
I don't care why you dislike any other machine just why you
like your machine.
Tell me with less words rather than more words.
Tell me how many hours you have logged and
how much, total, pure GOLD gold you have found.
If you all would be so kind do this it would
greatly help me make up my mind.
Thanks and play nice.
 

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