OK for gold shooting?

BigBob

Tenderfoot
Feb 15, 2013
8
1
Tucson, Az.
Detector(s) used
BH Lonestar
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Most people here say BH's aren't really designed to pick up gold. I have the Lone Star & don't really expect much in the way of gold. I'm looking for something more designed for gold. They are alot more money though. I was looking at a Minelab Exterra 305 for 400.00 but can't find much advice on these. Maybe someone can advise me if they read this.
Your BH is a better model, I'm sure.
 

jmoller99

Sr. Member
Jan 8, 2010
294
109
Colorado Springs, Colorado USA
Detector(s) used
Whites GMT, Goldmaster Vsat, 5900, Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 and Falcon MD-20.
Primary Interest:
Other
I have a Discovery 3300 and while its a good general purpose detector, its largely worthless for finding gold under a gram in size (and even then, it would have to be right on the surface). I use a Whites GMT and GoldMaster VSat - these work well. Others to consider are the Gold Bug II, Gold Bug Pro, Tesoro Lobo ST, Whites MXT and Garrett AT Gold. Minelab also makes Gold detectors, but I am not that familiar with them.

All detectors are compromises for given uses - there is no single detector that will 'do it all', whichs is why I own 9 detectors. My next detector will be a PI type - yet another tool to pick from.

Get with someone who has and uses a gold detector for prospecting. and they will help you understand the differences and limitations. My GMT is a great VLF Gold detector, but I would never consider using for coin hunting.

Gold Detectors find everything, and you will soon get used to digging hundreds (if not thousands) of targets that are trash before you find anything of value.

I suggest you read thru this:
http://www.detectorprospector.com/g...-guide-gold-nugget-detectors.htm#.UT4vhjfNm4k
 

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Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,419
30,081
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
Any metal detector can find gold nuggets IF they are larger than one-gram, are not too deep (less than 4") in mild soil. The problem is, gold nuggets are NEVER found in mild soil. Gold nugget hunters use operating ranges of around 18kHz in most cases, and can find sub-gram gold with ease, and in most cases, sub-grain gold. The Whites GMT, GMZ, the Tesoro Lobo Super Traq, Fisher Goldbug Pro, Teknetics G2 - All good nuggetshooters!
 

nuggetshooter323

Hero Member
Jul 22, 2005
963
870
Colorado Springs
Detector(s) used
The Legend, Anfibio Equinox 900, Gold Kruzer, XP Deus, ORX, Tesoro Tejon, Whites GMT, Falcon MD20, XP MI-6, Fisher F-Pulse, Pulse Dive, Vibra Probe, UniProbe.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
If you want to hunt gold nuggets, get a real gold machine. Otherwise you'll just be wasting your time in the field. Like Terry said, the only gold that you'll find will be bigger than a gram, and in in mild soil, the only gold that fits that description is gold jewerly or coins. Those are actually the more likely targets you'll find seeing where you live.
 

Lanny in AB

Gold Member
Apr 2, 2003
5,654
6,346
Alberta
Detector(s) used
Various Minelabs(5000, 2100, X-Terra 705, Equinox 800, Gold Monster), Falcon MD20, Tesoro Sand Shark, Gold Bug Pro, Makro Gold Racer.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
See if you can trade it or sell it to put the value or the money toward a dedicated nugget machine like the others have said. That way the detector you were given may help you get the one you need.

All the best,

Lanny
 

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OP
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NJnuggetpirate

Bronze Member
Feb 14, 2013
1,290
161
New Jersey
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT PRO, Garrett PRO POINTER
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
is anyone willing to sell a old one under 500 dollars plz feel free to call or txt me 6095013996 or call 8564539513 ask for keith jr
 

jmoller99

Sr. Member
Jan 8, 2010
294
109
Colorado Springs, Colorado USA
Detector(s) used
Whites GMT, Goldmaster Vsat, 5900, Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 and Falcon MD-20.
Primary Interest:
Other
Also keep in mind that if the areas you detect have only very fine gold - this may be beyond the capabilities of even the best gold detector - so unless you are aware of people finding nuggets in the areas you are planning on searching, you may be wasting your money/time on a gold specific detector. There are multi-purpose detectors that can also be used to prospect (like: Fisher Gold Bug Pro, Tesoro Lobo ST, Whites MXT, Garrett AT Gold and Minelab 705), but they have trade-offs that allow them to do that and as a result are normally less effective than specific use detectors (on the Gold detecting side) - that may be ok since you can get a lot more use out of them if you also relic hunt or coin hunt.

Gold tends to show up in highly mineralized ground; a good gold detector is designed to deal with that (altho no VLF detector deals with hot rocks all that well).
 

george8kl

Newbie
Mar 10, 2013
4
6
central nj
Detector(s) used
bounty hunter lone star
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I also swing a lone star - there's not a great deal of gold in nj, except maybe old coins that sandy storm heaved up on shore - for everyday coinshooting on dry land, it does the job just fine
 

OP
OP
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NJnuggetpirate

Bronze Member
Feb 14, 2013
1,290
161
New Jersey
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT PRO, Garrett PRO POINTER
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
this is why id like to move further west but still east like tennesee or virginia id go to cali for vacation eventually but idl there gun laws
 

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