Suggest My New AT-Pro Coil.

Krovas

Jr. Member
Jul 25, 2007
33
4
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT MAX, Tesoro Compadre, Garrett ProPointer
I'm sold on my AT-Pro overall, but I've found its ground penetration to be merely passable, and I want to up the ante for next year's hunting season. However, I find the variety of aftermarket coils and coil makers available for the AT-Pro a tad bewildering. So, I'm looking for real-world experience recommendations to take my AT-Pro to the next level, so to speak. Money really isn't an issue, so long as it won't be like buying whole new machine again. Any assistance would be appreciated. Thanks.
 

Showtime2385

Bronze Member
Nov 19, 2013
1,586
1,479
NY
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab E-Trac, Garrett AT-Pro, Garrett Pro-pointer-AT
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
5x8 never comes off my machine!
 

rick67

Bronze Member
Mar 29, 2014
1,612
1,725
Smithtown NY
Detector(s) used
XP, Whites, Garrett,
Lesche, T-Rex, RTG.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I've pulled a buckle at 12" with the 5x8". It weighs next to nothing.
IMAG0207.jpg

I also use a NEL Tornado. Which is super sensitive but can't say I've pulled out anything deeper then the 5x8" yet.

Both will give you bad depth readings so you know ahead of time.
 

OP
OP
Krovas

Krovas

Jr. Member
Jul 25, 2007
33
4
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT MAX, Tesoro Compadre, Garrett ProPointer
Yeah, I've seen a lot of rave reviews from people about their 5x8s. Seems counter-intuitive that a small coil would so often outperform larger ones.
 

Andy Nunez

Full Member
Nov 19, 2015
190
156
Maryland's Eastern Shore
Detector(s) used
Minelab Vanquish 540 or Garrett Ace 400 with a Cors Cannon coil and Z-lynk, Predator Piranha shovel, White's TRX pinpointer.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
My experience is mostly observations, but here's my 2 cents. The big coils have trouble separating trash but are great for field hunting. I was out with the Hoover Boys with my stock 11 inch coil versus the 13x 14 NEL Storm and they destroyed me. I did get a nice 1776 Irish half-penny as six inches, but they went 9-10 inches and got Spanish silver from 1748 through late 1700s, while I struggled to hear their signals. I just got the Cors Cannon, which is 14.5 x 10.5 and lighter than the Storm, but 2 ounces heavier than the stock coil. I went out to a couple of hunted out spots and got 3 wheat pennies and some 1950s nickels at a site hit by dozens of people over the years, and then got a worn British copper at a field that the club had been over a couple of times. HOWEVER, no signal I dug was more than six inches. My friend with an AT Pro with the NEL Storm got two wheaties and a Mercury dime at the same place, again, not super deep, but the coils seem to hit coins more smoothly. I am seriously looking into a 5x8 though for trashy areas. I think it might pull out some coins. Good luck and my advice always is to learn your machine before messing with it. Get in sync with its particular qualities, then branch out. After all, YOU are the detector. The machine merely helps you out in the decision making process. ;)
 

austin_luker

Sr. Member
Oct 17, 2014
425
420
New York State
Detector(s) used
XP Dues (AKA: EMI Chaser/Dog fence lover)
9" X35 - 11" LF - HF Elliptical - MI6 -
Garrett AT Pro with Neil Storm Coil, NEL SharpShooter and Garrett Pro PinPointer AT (Carrot)
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
My daily driver is an AT Pro with either the NEL Storm or NEL SharpShooter. The storm for the DEEP targets (i think I get another 3-4 inch with this beast) or in non-trashy areas even though for such a large coil it does separate targets good. The Storm is a very sensitive coil and loves hot rocks :) Now if I am in a trashy area or iron filled foundation site the NEL SharpShooter comes out, I know it runs just as deep as the stock coil and I am constently surprised at how deep this little coil will go. With the extra depth it still has amazing seperation of targets! Both coils would run you about $350 I don't think thats to bad of a price for an almost new machine since the coil is one of the main aspects of depth and seperation. (Just my 2 cents)
 

Toothpick

Sr. Member
Sep 9, 2013
480
1,016
Wisconsin
Detector(s) used
XP-DEUS 2, MANTICORE, XP-DEUS 1, Equinox 800, Simplex, 1280x, Gold Bug 2, 12v Gator Gill Hookah
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have the stock coil, a NEL Sharpshooter and a NEL Snake for my ATPro and feel I can get great results at the places I hunt. The Sharpshooter is my all-around coil and the snake is great in the trash.
 

John-Edmonton

Silver Member
Mar 21, 2005
4,399
3,950
Canada
Detector(s) used
Garrett- Master Hunter CX,Infinium, 1350, 2500, ACE 150-water converted 250, GTA 500,1500 Scorpion, AT Pro
Below are a couple of graphs depicting various maximum detection depths using air as the medium. Now depths of targets will vary due to their size, soil mineralization level, conductivity and oxide formation on the surface of the target. The depth will also be in your favor with a soil matrix of low mineralization and the length of time the target has been buried. Now, anecdotal results from hundreds of users using the 5" x 8" suggest it is in fact a superb coil combination, getting extreme sensitivity resulting in excellent depth capabilities and excellent separation abilities in areas covered with junk. I too have the 5 x 8 coil on my AT Gold at all times and it has been fantastic relic hunting machine for me.

The extreme large after market coils don't work well in trashy areas nor do the perform that well in mineralized soils, where the sensitivity must me lowered to run them stable. This can result in some depth loss. On the other hand, hunting in areas with little amount of junk targets with low mineralized soils, the large after market coils can give much better depth then machine costing 3 x as much as the AT Series.



ggrraphdonealllllll_zpsf2cad769.jpg
TRUEALLMETALMODEVS a.jpg
 

frankie

Sr. Member
Feb 7, 2010
404
189
mass
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
ctx 3030 deus excalibur sovern but used gp4500 sd2200 whites nd a few fisher. Nox 800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Monster coils and coil sizes

I've owned a lot of different machines,coils. At least 20. Most of the $1,000 machines are the same as far as depth. And everyone has one. Average is about 1 foot unless you hit a beer can or something big . Give or take a inch. they are about the same. A bigger coil covers more area. The smaller one's get in tight spots better and pin points easier. They say the bigger coils go deeper. It's not that big of a difference in depth. My Deus cost more. It picks up the older coils a lot better. But it still goes about the same dept as other machines. But all in all. The coils and machines in that price range go about the same depth. This is what I've learned from all the machines I've had. If you want a really deep machine that no one else has. That gets everything! And I mean everything. Your going to want a mine lab G.P. 4500 on up gold machine. You'll need a bulldozer to dig your holes. Below that G.P.4500. You'll get more back ground noise. It broke my back digging hole after hole at 3 plus feet deep for hair pins. Most holes up to the top of my knee. Good thing it was sand. I owned the beach with one of these machines. I covered the same beach with smaller detectors. It would take me three days to do a line pattern on this beach. With the GP 4500. I covered the same beach in 4-5 hours and missed nothing. People stopped going to that beach because of me. So as coils go. I don't thing you're going to find that really great coil. I gave my AT pro to my daughter. It's a nice machine. But as far as coils go. Don't get your hopes up in finding something Super duper that going to go to china. You will get more depth with a bigger coil. But it isn't going to be a big difference. Saw the big coil above. Their a place for that coil. It's not for the woods. The dealer told me that one of AT's pro does better on the beach than the other. Can't remember the other At's name. But that big coil is to big for that at set up. It will get hung up on sticks,be heavier and wear you out in half the time. When you get worn out. You detecting pays the price. Back slings are OK and do help. But still a pain. Where can you use a coil that big is the question. It better be a flat field with no high grass. You'll be fighting a coil that big. Hopes this gives you something to think about and helps.
 

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austin_luker

Sr. Member
Oct 17, 2014
425
420
New York State
Detector(s) used
XP Dues (AKA: EMI Chaser/Dog fence lover)
9" X35 - 11" LF - HF Elliptical - MI6 -
Garrett AT Pro with Neil Storm Coil, NEL SharpShooter and Garrett Pro PinPointer AT (Carrot)
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I've owned a lot of different machines,coils. At least 20. Most of the $1,000 machines are the same as far as depth. And everyone has one. Average is about 1 foot unless you hit a beer can or something big . Give or take a inch. they are about the same. A bigger coil covers more area. The smaller one's get in tight spots better and pin points easier. They say the bigger coils go deeper. It's not that big of a difference in depth. My Deus cost more. It picks up the older coils a lot better. But it still goes about the same dept as other machines. But all in all. The coils and machines in that price range go about the same depth. This is what I've learned from all the machines I've had. If you want a really deep machine that no one else has. That gets everything! And I mean everything. Your going to want a mine lab G.P. 4500 on up gold machine. You'll need a bulldozer to dig your holes. Below that G.P.4500. You'll get more back ground noise. It broke my back digging hole after hole at 3 plus feet deep for hair pins. Most holes up to the top of my knee. Good thing it was sand. I owned the beach with one of these machines. I covered the same beach with smaller detectors. It would take me three days to do a line pattern on this beach. With the GP 4500. I covered the same beach in 4-5 hours and missed nothing. People stopped going to that beach because of me. So as coils go. I don't thing you're going to find that really great coil. I gave my AT pro to my daughter. It's a nice machine. But as far as coils go. Don't get your hopes up in finding something Super duper that going to go to china. You will get more depth with a bigger coil. But it isn't going to be a big difference. Saw the big coil above. Their a place for that coil. It's not for the woods. The dealer told me that one of AT's pro does better on the beach than the other. Can't remember the other At's name. But that big coil is to big for that at set up. It will get hung up on sticks,be heavier and wear you out in half the time. When you get worn out. You detecting pays the price. Back slings are OK and do help. But still a pain. Where can you use a coil that big is the question. It better be a flat field with no high grass. You'll be fighting a coil that big. Hopes this gives you something to think about and helps.


Your talking $2,700.oo for that machine! The AT Pro plus 3 new NEL coils is under $1200.oo. You can't compair these two machines with each other there in different classes and price points.
 

Slimshady

Newbie
Oct 28, 2016
2
0
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
It's all about location. I recently went to a cemetery that has been in use since 1809.
It has a 3 tier burial system. Any way, I found 14 silver coins.
Best coin was a seated quarter. Also found a small gold ring with 7 diamonds in
it but I have to have it checked to see if it's real.

It's all about location people.
 

Andy Nunez

Full Member
Nov 19, 2015
190
156
Maryland's Eastern Shore
Detector(s) used
Minelab Vanquish 540 or Garrett Ace 400 with a Cors Cannon coil and Z-lynk, Predator Piranha shovel, White's TRX pinpointer.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I went out again with the Cors Cannon coil on my 400 and did dig a button that was the depth of my pro-pointer. It was a cuff button, too, so I was satisfied with the sensitivity of the big coil. I hunt mostly fields where 1700s houses once stood, so the big coil helps me cover more ground. I picked up a silver 34 quarter, two Tombac buttons, a ruined nickel and a few brass odds and ends along with some can-slaw, and my arm was starting to give out after 5 hours (with a half hour break for lunch), but I took most of the summer off, so getting back in shape. I found the best Tombac in an area that I hunted hard this spring, so you never get everything. I'd say, if you are on a budget and can't afford a gold-plated machine like a lot of us working stiffs, getting a mid-level machine (AT, 400) and adding a few aftermarket coils can't hurt. I like my Cors Cannon and I think I can cover more ground with less missed spots between swings. Whether I'll get super depth out of it remains to be seen, but my hunting season is just gearing up, so again, my two cents. So far, going back to previously hunted spots is turning up coins and relics not previously found, so either way, I am getting items and that's what counts. :)
 

Back-of-the-boat

Gold Member
Apr 18, 2013
6,886
8,507
California
Detector(s) used
AT GOLD/Garrett /C.Scope cs4PI/Garrett(carrot) pro pointer/ 5x8 double d coil and sniper coil/Lesche digger/Lesche "T" handle shovel.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I pick up things as small as earring backs with my 5x8 DD I have the AT Gold that is standard for mine and it works great.The only other coil I have is the 4.5 inch sniper for up close and tight areas.
 

MackDog

Bronze Member
Nov 20, 2013
1,408
2,736
Spokane Wa
Detector(s) used
Garrett At Pro, 8 x11" and Nel Storm coils
Garrett Propointer er, Pro Pointer AT
White's V3i Standard, 10" DD, 13" Ultimate and 4 x6" sniper, 6 x10 coils, Drect 12 x 15 coil
Whites MX Sport With Detec
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I love my Pro. The Nel coils are awesome better depth and real good separation. I use the STorm and Big Nel. I've rehit parks that have been dry for others, and it's amazing all the deep and good stuff they bring out. Big coils equal Depth and Coverage.
 

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Bart@Big Boys Hobbies

Supporting Vendor
Supporting Vendor
Jul 24, 2005
4,594
1,219
Moore Oklahoma
Detector(s) used
Call for your Treasurenet special discount! Be sure to mention Tnet when you call!
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
You got any non advertised deals on the coil with cover, rod and hardware? I'm needing one...

Always give us a call and mention tnet. We do what we can!
 

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