Best detector for Florida beaches.

grey95chevyboy

Jr. Member
Jan 5, 2016
62
56
Stuart
Detector(s) used
Cz-21 cz-3d cz-5 whites classic 2.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
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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penzfan

Bronze Member
Apr 12, 2014
1,417
994
Detector(s) used
CTX 3030 - Excal 1000 - Excal II - Sovereign GT - RTG/Oleg Scoops - XPointer
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
Excalibur or CTX 3030...
 

redcobra8u

Bronze Member
Jan 24, 2014
1,221
1,336
Los Angeles
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab Excal II, Garrett AT Pro, CTX3030
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Excalibur 2 is my beach go to. You'll love it in the water.
 

penzfan

Bronze Member
Apr 12, 2014
1,417
994
Detector(s) used
CTX 3030 - Excal 1000 - Excal II - Sovereign GT - RTG/Oleg Scoops - XPointer
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
You can find great deals on used Excals and 3030's on this and other MD sites. A nice Excal Blue Tube just sold today for $900 on one of the NJ sites. I've seen nice 3030's go for under $1200. Call Tony Stevenson @ Fort Bedford MD's (vendor on this site) for a great deal and tell him I sent you. Whatever you do, don't go cheap on a machine NOT built FOR salt water. GL and HH...
 

CASPER-2

Gold Member
Jan 3, 2012
17,158
19,959
NEW ENGLAND
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
6
Detector(s) used
WHITE'S XLT, PI PRO, GARRETT 2500, 3- FISHER CZ21s, JW FISHER 8X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
4 days in Fla.waters with cz21 - my best trip ever for gold
Florida trip finds.JPG
 

CASPER-2

Gold Member
Jan 3, 2012
17,158
19,959
NEW ENGLAND
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
6
Detector(s) used
WHITE'S XLT, PI PRO, GARRETT 2500, 3- FISHER CZ21s, JW FISHER 8X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Wow....Thanks for the heads up I will look into the Excalibur or even a cz21. Thank you guys for the advice rather buy it right first then be disappointed later.

you can try finding guys out there that might let you try both before you buy
doesn't hurt to ask... what part of fla. you in?
 

OP
OP
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grey95chevyboy

Jr. Member
Jan 5, 2016
62
56
Stuart
Detector(s) used
Cz-21 cz-3d cz-5 whites classic 2.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
you can try finding guys out there that might let you try both before you buy
doesn't hurt to ask... what part of fla. you in?

I live in stuart florida,I spend lots of time from Sebastian and Indian river county all the way down to broward county.I see guys often on stuart beach but I never want to interrupt them when there in there groove.To say this website is great is a understatement.
 

CASPER-2

Gold Member
Jan 3, 2012
17,158
19,959
NEW ENGLAND
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
6
Detector(s) used
WHITE'S XLT, PI PRO, GARRETT 2500, 3- FISHER CZ21s, JW FISHER 8X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I will send you a PM with articles ive written - they are mostly on water hunting itself - not on the machines used
I don't like to push a machine and then have someone not like it - I like the ones I use and do good with what I got
doesn't mean everyone else will - I tell people to try and find a friendly face that might have an extra machine they can try
sometimes dealers have test models and may take you out
 

flgliderpilot

Bronze Member
Apr 28, 2015
1,504
1,427
Saint Augustine, FL
Detector(s) used
CZ-21, Minelab Equinox, Garrett AT Pro
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
most will tell you - cz21 not ideal for fla.
but i do ok with it when i go down there - just a sample of stuff ive gotten down there on long weekend trips
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/members/29748-albums1617.html
so its a matter of preference

I guess I haven't heard that. Everyone I've run into (old timers) in FL are using either an Excal or CZ... aside from those who can afford the CTX.

CZ would be the easiest of the two to learn. I have a CZ-21 and it's awesome on the beach!
 

CASPER-2

Gold Member
Jan 3, 2012
17,158
19,959
NEW ENGLAND
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
6
Detector(s) used
WHITE'S XLT, PI PRO, GARRETT 2500, 3- FISHER CZ21s, JW FISHER 8X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I guess I haven't heard that. Everyone I've run into (old timers) in FL are using either an Excal or CZ... aside from those who can afford the CTX.

CZ would be the easiest of the two to learn. I have a CZ-21 and it's awesome on the beach!
I cant remember the last time I actually saw another hunter using a cz20/21
most people that know me - know I use it in all metal and that's part of the reason for my successes
I do know there are a handful out there that bought one because of me -not because of pushing ,but because of my finds -and hope they are doing good with theirs too
I started serious water hunting with PI Pro and unless your retired and live right on the beach down there where you have the time to clean it all out cause you
have that kind of time - don't think anyone would recommend one - we have a handful of guys that use the DFs up here still and they get the old stuff still
 

ColonelDan

Hero Member
Jan 19, 2014
998
2,163
Central Florida
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Deus II
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
I've been hunting Florida beaches for a number of years and the best detector I've found for our environment is the Minelab Excalibur--a reliable, deep and sensitive machine that can discriminate out the unwanted iron in Disc mode but can also find those iron relics in PP mode if that's what you're after.

Like many before have said, you can get a good used one in your price range...just keep looking and have patience and you'll be rewarded with a true beach machine.
 

OP
OP
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grey95chevyboy

Jr. Member
Jan 5, 2016
62
56
Stuart
Detector(s) used
Cz-21 cz-3d cz-5 whites classic 2.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
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.
 

ARC

Gold Member
Aug 19, 2014
37,251
131,562
Tarpon Springs
Detector(s) used
JW 8X-ML X2-VP 585
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I did not contribute any opinions or advice but I will...

Wish ya good luck on your ventures...
And congrats of your new MD.

Looks like you took Caspers advice. :)
 

CASPER-2

Gold Member
Jan 3, 2012
17,158
19,959
NEW ENGLAND
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
6
Detector(s) used
WHITE'S XLT, PI PRO, GARRETT 2500, 3- FISHER CZ21s, JW FISHER 8X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I did not contribute any opinions or advice but I will...

Wish ya good luck on your ventures...
And congrats of your new MD.

Looks like you took Caspers advice. :)
I did not advise him on getting one really - I told him unless you are going to hunt the way I hunt and in the places I hunt is the only way
I could suggest one - and most people will not hunt in all metal like I do ---I kept telling him to try and try both before buying
but he did any ways - so I hope he has good luck with it ---if he don't like - don't think he will have trouble selling again
CZs and excels always seem to have good resale value
 

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