Best detector for Florida beaches.

[grey95chevyboy]

Hello,Iam New to water searching, my father and I used to hunt land when I was a kid all the time. With my wife constantly wanting to go to the beach I figured I could do something usefully while she takes on the sun rays.I've been looking at at pro's but not sure since 90 percent of my hunting will be on florida east coast in the water or sand searching.I hear salt can be a issue with at pro's at time. I have a budget of under a grand any suggestions?I would be mostly doing waist level searching.

 

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[dewcon4414]

Might have been the BLING Casper........ Takes years to acquire those kind of finds....... its not that easy. IMO used is the way to go....... not many salt water machines out there that wont need repairs..... so plan for it. Depending on how much you are out there....... most will never have problems until after the warranty is gone. You should do fine with your choice...... lot has to do what you start out on and LEARN.

 

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[Escape]

You will want to use a belt or chest hardness if you will be spending lots of time on wet sand. Its heavy out of the water. Get a good scoop cause you will be digging deep. Congrats, good luck and lots of fun and great finds.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Congratz on your new detector! I have a lot of fun with my CZ20. I hope you do the same! Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

 

[CASPER-2]

Might have been the BLING Casper........ Takes years to acquire those kind of finds....... its not that easy. IMO used is the way to go....... not many salt water machines out there that wont need repairs..... so plan for it. Depending on how much you are out there....... most will never have problems until after the warranty is gone. You should do fine with your choice...... lot has to do what you start out on and LEARN.

There are a lot of guys using Excals and other machines that do as well as me if not better - Ive been detecting since 1975
I know to learn your machine(s) - and believe if I used any machine - Id find a way to do well with it
good example - I use an old Whites XLT - a lot of relic hunters that use high priced land machines make fun of me but I still go to hunted out farm fields and pull nice finds they miss
keep saying I should up grade but if I'm still doing ok with it - why change
well a few yrs back - I tried to get into a large team relic hunt - the whites team was full - my only chance to go was to join the garrett team - was lucky and found a new used garrett on ebay
I got it -read directions and went out in the field with it to to get some practice - I was finding colonial coins and relics at spots that were hammered by a lot of other hunters with all kinds of machines - at one spot I pulled 3 KG coppers - my partner was shocked - I was too - I hit like 3-4 different spots and got old coins at each of them
thing is I hate that machine - I found it quirky - I used it on the hunt and did ok with it --but ive not used it since - its a back up
and will loan it out - I keep wondering if I took it out again if it would still perform - i'll have to try again sometime
but hopefully I made my point ---I use to use this pic to make my point when people would ask "which machine is better"


(think this was in 2006)
I had picked up a used cz20 on line as a back up - but had not really used it much
I started the day with my pi pro and was doing ok - I got hit by a small wave - lost my balance
and stuck my arm out and snapped my lower rod - took a break and change machines - headed back out
for the most part - I think they did equally as good or I did
Ive hunted with guys with Excals where we both did equally good in the same area - you will never see me say that my machine is better than anyone else's
cause I know its not all about the machine

 

[flgliderpilot]

4 days in Fla.waters with cz21 - my best trip ever for gold
View attachment 1288490

Hey Casper how many hours would you say you dug per day? That is a heck of a lot for 4 days! Nice work

 

[flgliderpilot]

You will want to use a belt or chest hardness if you will be spending lots of time on wet sand. Its heavy out of the water. Get a good scoop cause you will be digging deep. Congrats, good luck and lots of fun and great finds.

You can shaft mount it and it's totally useable.. I regularly hunt dry sand with my CZ shaft mounted. It balances perfectly with a 10" coil.

 

[grey95chevyboy]

Well gentlemen I took her out to the beach for the first time,I must say I am impressed.I didn't dive was just dry sanding today and I dug stuff about 18 inches down I couldn't believe it. I didn't find any bling but some change lots of trash and one fishing knife and a switch blade that looks like pretty good quality. I am waiting for my rtg scoop and some other stuff to start hitting the water...but even on dry sand this thing is better then any machine I have ever used.

 

[flgliderpilot]

Thank you too all the members who have given me info and reached out to me to lead me in the right direction.I purchased a used cz-21 today locally. I can't wait to go out and have some fun. Thanks again.

Congrats on your purchase. Make sure you do a leak test before you take it in the water. Also, when you tighten or loosen the screws for the battery compartment do them evenly... a little on each screw until they are both loose / tight. If you loosen just one, all of the stress goes to the ear on the tight side... and it will crack over time.

While I'd love to own a CTX, the CZ does the job and it's very easy to set up and use.

 

[Metal Detecting Stuff]

Welcome!

Wayne

www.metaldetectingstuff.com

 

[adamBomb]

Well gentlemen I took her out to the beach for the first time,I must say I am impressed.I didn't dive was just dry sanding today and I dug stuff about 18 inches down I couldn't believe it. I didn't find any bling but some change lots of trash and one fishing knife and a switch blade that looks like pretty good quality. I am waiting for my rtg scoop and some other stuff to start hitting the water...but even on dry sand this thing is better then any machine I have ever used.

CZ21 is awesome. Hunt in all metal and then go to disc 0 when you get a hit. Its a pretty easy machine to pick up and learn to use but it will take many hours to master. Its also built like a tank. Definitely get the mount flgliderpilot posted. They sell on ebay for $16 and make a world of difference.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

You will want to use a belt or chest hardness if you will be spending lots of time on wet sand. Its heavy out of the water. Get a good scoop cause you will be digging deep. Congrats, good luck and lots of fun and great finds.

I advise against using a waist or chest belt, repair center told me the majority of excals they get in for shorts in the cables are from hunters using the waist and chest mount due to the constant flexing of cables, that doesn't happen when shaft mount..... If weight is an issue use a detecting harness...

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Post deleted....FYI, only charter members can sell...

 

[grey95chevyboy]

Since this thread came back to the top,i guess i should update my experience. I love the cz21,ive found silver stainless steel jewery,lots of clad even a 1779 indian penny all at the beach.ive only snorkeled a couple times most my usage has been in the wet sand( the Atlantic does not want to behave).As siad before i love the cz21.

 

[penzfan]

My CTX loves Florida beaches...

 

[adamBomb]

I advise against using a waist or chest belt, repair center told me the majority of excals they get in for shorts in the cables are from hunters using the waist and chest mount due to the constant flexing of cables, that doesn't happen when shaft mount..... If weight is an issue use a detecting harness...

Yep buy the $16 mount from ebay. You can swing all day and keep it on the shaft.

 

[deldave]

Last years finds on the Delaware shore. AT PRO in and out of the water. Be advised, you may not like the water as much as the dry beach.

 

[slider66]

Excal gets my vote. I have two of them and love them both. I do have the AT Pro too but the Excal is the water machine. My next one will be the CTX 3030.

 

[Escape]

I advise against using a waist or chest belt, repair center told me the majority of excals they get in for shorts in the cables are from hunters using the waist and chest mount due to the constant flexing of cables, that doesn't happen when shaft mount..... If weight is an issue use a detecting harness...

Thanks for the advise. Will look into it.