IVE GOT TO KNOW...F4 or AT Pro???

Mar 3, 2014
3
2
West Virginia
Detector(s) used
Fisher F4, Garrett Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I'VE GOT TO KNOW...F4 or AT Pro???

I have a Fisher F4, I've pretty much mined out my backyard. Mostly clad, some cool mining ID tags (I live in an old WV mining town) and even a Nazi penny, all out of my yard. The question that's burning me up is, Do I switch from the F4 to the Garrett AT Pro? The lore and the lure of the AT Pro really has my curiosity going. I'd really like the opinion of someone who has used both and what they think of both. I thought for sure I'd have found my first silver by now, it amazes me how much "stuff" is underground. Any and all help appreciated.
 

dustytrails123

Bronze Member
Apr 14, 2012
1,012
412
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer Se Pro,Garrett At/Pro,Garrett Ace 350,Tesoro Cibola,Tesoro Outlaw,Bounty Hunter SharpShooter 2
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
save yourself alot of disappointment and keep your f-4
 

fella

Bronze Member
Oct 24, 2012
1,805
853
Wisc
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
AT Pro is a great detector! Go ahead and do it!
 

christo000

Silver Member
Mar 17, 2013
3,765
812
mass North Attleboro
Detector(s) used
Xp Deus,m-6 pinpointer, technetics t2ltd (had, whites v3i,minelab xterra 705,atpro,prism 4,sunray probe minlabe profind,garret propointer, f75ltd and many more)
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Never used the f4 have used the atpro the pro for sure ideas ull get more out of it meaning u can water hunt verse only land, but fishers are a well made machine for sure
 

dustytrails123

Bronze Member
Apr 14, 2012
1,012
412
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer Se Pro,Garrett At/Pro,Garrett Ace 350,Tesoro Cibola,Tesoro Outlaw,Bounty Hunter SharpShooter 2
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I see the AT Pro is one of your machines, can you explain? Thanks

I have an at pro and its not all that its cracked up to be...its water proof and its black other then that it might as well be an ace350 ...the machine offers little to no discrimination and its over priced ...spend money else where

He is a moron that bashes the atp any chance he can

Choose your words wisely ...name calling is against the rules
 

atomicscott

Bronze Member
Aug 18, 2011
1,564
1,055
Riverside CA
Detector(s) used
Current: Nokta Makro Simplex+, Teknetics Patriot, Fisher Gold Bug (original), GP Pinpointer (Garrett Clone) Lesche. Owned: Omega 8000, Minelab X-Terra 505, Fisher F2, Tesoro Vaquero, & Compadre, Whit
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Never used the f4 have used the atpro the pro for sure ideas ull get more out of it meaning u can water hunt verse only land, but fishers are a well made machine for sure

Huh??
 

madforclad

Full Member
May 7, 2014
195
61
Hunting previously pounded sites
Detector(s) used
Minelab eTrac, Minelab X Terra 705, Garrett AT Pro with 5" x 8" coil, Fisher F2, Garrett Pro Pointer, RTG 710 Scoop.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Well I have an AT Pro and I am very pleased with my machine. I do not own an F4 however I do own an F2 and an F75. The AT Pro is my main shallow fresh water hunting machine and my main trashy park machine as I currently do not have smaller coils for my F75 and eTrac. I did not like the factory 11" DD coil and switched to the 5 X 8 coil. With that smaller coil, the ATP separates trash incredibly well and the balance and weight of the machine improves vastly. The F75 is my relic hunter. It's depth is incredible, however it is very chattery and takes a bit to get used to. The eTrac I use for old sites and deep silver targets as well as some beach hunting. I have been in this hobby for quite some time and I find it comparable to golf in that the more clubs you have in your bag, the better equipped you are to play. Since you did not indicate in your email, would you be keeping the F4, or getting the ATP in place of it?
 

Rawhide

Silver Member
Nov 17, 2010
3,590
2,185
SouthWestern USA
Detector(s) used
Nox 800, Etrac, F75, AT Pro. Last two for sale.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I would get more time on the F4 and see if you really need 2 detectors. The back yard is great, but you are missing many other places to hunt. It was said before, it depends on the area you hunt. If you dont plan getting wet, you really are set. But its always fun to get a new machine, and if your cash heavy I say go for the AT Pro. The operator is 90% of the hunt, dont believe the hype, you got to walk over the target, and most machines will find it all if you work them right. If you want to see why Dustytrails gets picked on, read the "AT Haters" thread. My understanding is the iron discrimination has been fixed with the AT Pro and really makes the machine. The depth seems ok, and its very simple to use. The F4 you has been on my wish list for some time. In the last 3 years I have only seen one AT Pro used on a hunt. There seems to be a small group of ATP users here that bash anything and anyone is disagreement. I dont know why it is allowed. Dusty is considered a friend and I wish that post bashing him would be removed from the forum.
 

pyledriver

Sr. Member
Dec 5, 2007
416
88
North Texas
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Gold, CTX3030, SDC2300, GoFind 60, Whites TM-808, Dip Needle, EYES
Primary Interest:
Cache Hunting
Everybody's experiences will vary somewhat due to conditions where they hunt. Having said that, I've really enjoyed my AT Pro! I had a T2SE that I really wanted to like but just never could warm up to it. I even got a sharpshooter coil for it and the AT still separated better. In different soil maybe different results? I water detect frequently plus I like to hit old river crossings, creeks where baptisms were held, etc. Even if I didn't hunt so much water, the AT has proven itself over and over on land too.
 

gulfcoaster

Jr. Member
May 11, 2014
35
34
Pensacola, FL
Detector(s) used
Fisher CZ-21, Garrett AT Pro, White's Bullseye TRX, Stealth Classic 8" Sand Scoop
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
If you do get an AT Pro, I'd recommend that you still keep your F4. I've read so many threads where people decided to sell their first detector, only to regret that decision later. Keep it as a backup...it also makes a good "buddy" loaner, too. My first detector was my AT Pro (only a couple months old), and I told myself that I'm keeping it no matter what other detectors I end up getting. It's been a great little machine so far, especially with the 5x8 coil on it, so why not?
 

DiggerinVA

Bronze Member
Sep 16, 2013
1,669
1,661
Shenandoah Valley, Virginia
Detector(s) used
GPX5000, AT Gold, AT Pro, Whites TDI, Bandido 2 umax, Tejon, Vaquero, Deus 2, ORX and Legend
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hey Miner....Your WV soil should be similar to mine as I live 20 minutes from the wv line. I have many hours on the ATP...and until you do, you just aswell have an ACE350. You must learn the language of the Pro. But when you do, it is a great machine and you will be able to I.D. 80% of your targets before you dig them. Say bye bye to bottle caps and nails. I love my ATP and it is still my go to machine most of the time. I will not say it is "better" than my f75 ltd.....but I will say that my fisher has its work cut out to ever catch the Pro in finds. Not a depth monster but I have dug several keepers over 10 inches including a U.S. boxplate at a measured 14 inches....Anyone who says the ATP is no better than the Ace 350 has little or no experience with it. BUY THE ATP! Hope this helps....
 

masterjedi

Bronze Member
May 24, 2014
1,757
1,349
Oregon
Detector(s) used
Minelab's CTX 3030, E-Trac & EQ800, Fisher F75LTD SE & F44, Whites MXT All PRO, Whites TRX Pointer & Shovel, Predator Tools Raptor hand digger & Ranger shovel. Grey Ghost Ultimate headphones.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I love my AT PRO... Its either AT PRO or Minelab Etrac...
 

SavageHunter

Jr. Member
May 29, 2013
92
69
Kansas
Detector(s) used
Minelab E-Trac, Minelab Xterra 705, Garrett AT Pro, Bounty Hunter Tracker IV, Fisher F2
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I love my AT PRO... Its either AT PRO or Minelab Etrac...

That is exactly how I feel! I have both and they are both great machines.
 

ArDirtSlinger

Hero Member
Mar 13, 2014
606
569
Arkansas
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
XP deus; MI-6 pinpointer, TRX pinpointer, Lesche digger, Lesche Sampson, Predator Piranha
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Ive had my ATP since March and I looked at Minelabs Safari, Whites MXT Pro, F-4, F75, and acouple of others.. I picked the ATP.. I felt overall it was the best machine for Me. Ive found CW lead, clad out the wazooo, 1943 Army Armoured Unit Hat Pin, and loades of other stuff. The machine is important; But not as important as the guy holding it, whatever you decide have confidence in your machine and get in the field and use it ( learn it ). And you will be rewarded. Hours used + Research = Success rate
 

Kodiak43351

Bronze Member
May 6, 2013
2,279
1,091
NW Ohio
Detector(s) used
At Max,Xp deus,At pro, At gold, pro pointer, ace 350 bounty hunter. Lesche hand and t handle digging tools, Sask kustom digger, Garrett edge digger and Garrett retriever, Garrett classifier made into
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
At pro would be my choice also. I've owned the ace 350 and the pro is in a diff league. I guess if you use standard mode it is similar to the ace series but if you are using the standard mode you are using the machine wrong. Dusty is a garrett basher and he was bashing Garrett's before he owned an at pro. I still wonder why he bought it and didn't go with another brand so he can bash their detectors on the other forums. I've hunted with some local guys and I'm only one with the at pro and after hunting with me they replaced their detectors with the pro if that tells you anything. I don't know if it was because I would go off in river and hunt or that I was finding silver dimes over a spot they just swung over. Their detector didn't work well in the trashy sites where my at pro and the 5x8 coil shines. I know one of the detectors the other guy was using cost twice what the at pro does and it get incredible depth but that doesn't help at all in a trashy site. When I go into open field hunting I put stock coil on for more area coverage. I'm not saying the at pro is better than these other machines just saying it works well and has made this a fun hobby for me. Good luck everyone.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top