New to metal detecting

NeedBucksNow

Greenie
Sep 4, 2015
17
9
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Garrett Ace 250 seems pretty good to me and I wrote a review article about it here (removed by mod)
 

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Loco-Digger

Gold Member
Jun 16, 2014
11,827
17,744
Northern O-H-I-O
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
F75 LTD, 1280X Aquanaut, & a Patriot (back-up/loaner)
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
You will not find a "GOOD" detector for all the hunting you are wanting to do with a $300 limit. You can get a decent detector for all hunting except salt water beaches however. I believe you should start with that and then invest in a good salt water detector later on. You can expect to pay $1000 or more for a good salt water detector.
 

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,430
54,808
Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Needbucksnow, please stop spamming to your site. YOur required to be a vendor to post your website.
 

G-bone

Sr. Member
Dec 9, 2014
495
942
Ventura Ca
Detector(s) used
Gold Bug Pro w/ NEL coil.
Minelab Xterra 705,
Bazooka Snipers (24" and 30").
Royal Folding Sluice with Gold hog mats.
Thompson 12V Puffer Drywasher.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I wanted to know what is a good metal detector for saltwater beaches, parks, schools, and sports fields? Price about $300

I've been looking at used Xterra 505's in that price range,
And sometimes a 705 comes along at a good price in the 4's .

Heck I just found an old whites 6000 DI pro SL for $50 not working.
Sent it to Whites for an overhaul - $100 (a thank you to the folks at Whites).
So for $150 She's an awesome coin hound!!
And it too does the everything you asked for above.

Find a used AT pro and now your fully submersible.

And I'm seeing Tersoro Sand Sharks in the 4's as well.
I read that they are good starter submersibles..
I may get one some day..

Loco-digger is right that at $300 retail, you cant get much.
But be patient and prudent and good used machines come along quite often.

Cheers
 

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ZR2guy

Sr. Member
Jan 6, 2011
454
510
Southwest Ohio
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 700 (stock and 6" coil), Pro-find 35 PP, Makro PP, and a little luck.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I've been looking at used Xterra 505's in that price range,
And sometimes a 705 comes along at a good price in the 4's .

Heck I just found an old whites 6000 DI pro SL for $50 not working.
Sent it to Whites for an overhaul - $100 (a thank you to the folks at Whites).
So for $150 She's an awesome coin hound!!
And it too does the everything you asked for above.

Find a used AT pro and now your fully submersible.

And I'm seeing Tersoro Sand Sharks in the 4's as well.
I read that they are good starter submersibles..
I may get one some day..

Loco-digger is right that at $300 retail, you cant get much.
But be patient and prudent and good used machines come along quite often.

Cheers

Agreed on looking for used machines. Let someone else take the depreciation hit on the new detector. Some of these people change detectors like they change their minds, very often. Patience will pay off and you can end up with a really nice detector for a lot less than you think. I just bought a 6 month old Teknetics T2 SE LTD with the 11"DD and 5"DD coils, neoprene cover and extra lower rod for $550 shipped. That is much less than buying everything new. With a portion of what I saved buying used over new, I ordered a new NEL sharpshooter coil for the T2.
It's your money, spend it wisely.:icon_thumleft:
 

airscapes

Hero Member
Nov 13, 2013
973
555
Philadelphia PA
Detector(s) used
DFX 950, U13,6"Exc & 4x6 Coils, Coinmaster GT 4x6 & NEL Hunter coil, TRX Pin Pointer, CZE-T200 FM Transmitter, Sangean DT-400W and ER6i in-ears.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
A used whites DFX will fill the posters request but may be a $100-$150 over budget and rather complicated for a beginner.. but it would also not need to be upgraded next month when he realizes a $300 MD is rather limited in it's features. My coinmaster GT was $399 and I wanted a better machine within a year..
 

ZR2guy

Sr. Member
Jan 6, 2011
454
510
Southwest Ohio
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 700 (stock and 6" coil), Pro-find 35 PP, Makro PP, and a little luck.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
DFX may be a little tough on a beginner but you won't "outgrow" that machine very fast. I had one and actually miss it. There are some good books out there for the DFX that get you going in the right direction. Did I mention that I miss my DFX?
 

adamBomb

Hero Member
May 30, 2014
645
551
Wilmington NC
Detector(s) used
Nox 700;
Past: Nox 600; CTX; CZ21; Excal II; White's DF;
920i Stealth Scoop
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
I wanted to know what is a good metal detector for saltwater beaches, parks, schools, and sports fields? Price about $300

There are a number of good ones in your price range from garret, fisher, bounty hunter, whites, etc. You really cant go wrong with any of them. Your next step up is machines in the $500 range and for that price I personally think you get a lot more (ie waterproof and beach machines) - or even get a used one which is definitely great advice per others here. None of the machines in the $300 range will work on wet salty sand but they will work great on the dry beach.
 

Tom_in_CA

Gold Member
Mar 23, 2007
13,837
10,360
Salinas, CA
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
Explorer II, Compass 77b, Tesoro shadow X2
......Heck I just found an old whites 6000 DI pro ....

The minelab 505 & 705's would not be very good on the wet salt. But I agree with the 6000 Di pro's as being good all around. If Rudy1986 can find an old 6000 Di pro for his $300 budget, that was a good all around salt beach and land machine. And since they're now 20+ yrs out there, Rudy can probably be found for $300 or less on ebay. Just make sure it's the Di pro incarnation with the 950 loop, and not the earlier types of 6000 incarnations.
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,419
30,082
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
SALTWATER DETECTORS

 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,419
30,082
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
Beginning Dirt and Dry Sand Metal Detectors

 

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