Which detector will work for me?

[junglejim]

Been reading alot of posts about different detectors and am still unsure which one would be good fore me.
Criteria:
1. must be a good nugget finder
2. Cost, must be as inexpensive as possible
3. Must be lightweight (I am 69 and heart patient)
4. Ease of use
5. Good warranty (I hear Tesoro is great)
6. Auto trac GB would be great

I have been connsidering the Tesoro Lobo ST, Garrett AT Pro, Fisher GBII (older ones).

I would really like to get one soon for my upcoming jaunt to ther SW to hunt for some nuggets. Sure could use some extra money.

Thanks everybody

PS--would a Whites GMT be the right one for me?

 

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[ThTx]

I recommend the AT Pro. VERY easy to use in the Standard mode, and you can switch to the Pro Mode when (if) you get ready. Price is absolutely right.

 

[Frankn]

Here's advice from one who has been around 73 years. Don't buy a low end detector. It will never do all the things you want to do. Buy a top of the line when it was new detector of well known and respected brand. I use a 10 year old Whites XLT. It will do anything you mentioned and more. It is easy to use with basic settings and when you want more than basic, it is ready for you.
It has settings for coins,Jewelry,beach and when you want to go for the gold nuggets, it has a prospecting setting. There are plenty of them listed on EBay and in Tenet listings. Just like us, oldies can be goodies. Frank

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[U.K. Brian]

I can't see the Garrett or the Whites (much as I like my old XLT) being much use to you.

The Tesoro Lobo Supertrac, a Fisher Goldbug or even the fairly new Fisher F70 would be my choice as you need a high frequency VLF for small gold in most areas. Hot areas need a big gun P.I. such as the Minelab SD or GP's but they are heavy and expensive and limited in the tasks they can be used for.

The Lobo or the Fisher F70 can be used for gold hunting or coinhunting. If you ever travel to Europe both will easily find hammered silver. Both have better than industry standard warranties. If the audio of the Lobo doesn't suit you you could seek out the follow up model (the Wolftrax).

Do try and handle any detector before buying for balance as weight is not so important if the balance is right and check the audio as age or industrial hearing loss can make all the difference in finding small deep gold. Then pick headphones to suit the detector.

 

[Frankn]

Brian the XLT would serve them well. AN old XLT was used in the UK to find the largest gold hoard ever found. What more could you ask for?

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[DavidRamey]

The White's MXT has found more gold nuggets than any other metal detector at Ganes Creek here in Alaska

 

[U.K. Brian]

Any detector will find a large hoard near the surface but the request was for a good nugget hunter.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Hey guys, jungle-jim asks about a machine for gold "nuggets". That is quite different from just saying gold.

Jim, any of the coin machines suggested (XLT, etc...) might have a prospecting setting/option, but ....... since they are a cross-over, won't excell in nuggets. Any machine that is designed to be able to do both nuggets and coins, won't excell in either arena. The desired objective of each venue (coins/jewelry verses nuggets) is almost diametrically opposed. Nuggets in their natural state, are usually pinhead sized (grain of rice sized at the absolute biggest). So a machine that can excel in such teeennnssy stuff, is going to be a pain in the b*tt if you are a coin/jewelry/relic hunter. Coin/jewelry guys do NOT want to hear every piece of birdshot, staple, push-pin, etc...

So coin machines like the XLT, even though they sport a prospecting mode, will be left in the dust by a machine specifically designed to find teensy specks in nasty soil.

The MXT is a decent cross-over, that can be had fairly cheap on the used market. But if you want to get hardcore in nuggets, there are some seriously stronger, deeper, and more sensitive units. You would have to spell out what you mean by " ... as inexpensive as possible"

 

[Frankn]

Tom ,the guys not looking for the best machine in the world to find pin head size pickers. He is looking for a reasonably priced detector that is good enough. My XLT in prospect mode will and has picked up one piece of #6 shot at 5+" and I would call that good enough. Remember he said nuggets, not pickers and there is a difference.

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[Uncle Willy]

If you're going to hunt for nuggets then you need a dedicated gold machine designed for nuggetshooting. A general use detector will not do you much good and there are no inexpensive gold machines and most aren't all that light weight. You're asking for a machine that hasn't been invented yet.

Bill

 

[Frankn]

Uncle Willy , If he wants something new and light that's made to find gold the new Fisher Goldbug would fit the bill!

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[Treasure_Hunter]

As far as weight you can use a harnes which will take care of the weight issue.

 

[Frankn]

A harness merely shifts weight from your arm to directly on your back. Your still carrying the same load.

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[Treasure_Hunter]

A harness merely shifts weight from your arm to directly on your back. Your still carrying the same load.

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Your back is 10 times stronger then your forearm. I can hunt from dawn to dusk using a harness and WOT coil on my Excal and in the water with no problems at all, only pain is in my feet from all the walking. The smallest coil I hunt with is the 15 inch WOT coil. I have hunted with the 15"x18" SEF Butterfly for little over 6 hours with no pain using the harness.....Only reason it was only 6 hours was I was in the water with the Excal and WOT coil for a couple hours before I gave up due to heavy surf and moved to land to hunt the wet sand......

Granted I am only 62, maybe others can't for what ever reason.....

 

[Frankn]

The thing I don't like about a harness is you are attached to the detector. You can't just set it down and go for a deep target. Then again I am using a surfmaster PI so there is no weight problem. I usually hunt 4 hours, break for lunch and then hunt 4 hours with no problem. The PI is good for 18" on rings so I don't have to suffer with a bigger coil. I think the need for oversize coils is greatly exaggerated. If I am cache hunting I use a 2Box with a shoulder strap. I can work that all day and I am 73.

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[Treasure_Hunter]

The thing I don't like about a harness is you are attached to the detector. You can't just set it down and go for a deep target. Then again I am using a surfmaster PI so there is no weight problem. I usually hunt 4 hours, break for lunch and then hunt 4 hours with no problem. The PI is good for 18" on rings so I don't have to suffer with a bigger coil. I think the need for oversize coils is greatly exaggerated. If I am cache hunting I use a 2Box with a shoulder strap. I can work that all day and I am 73.

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Not sure what you mean by "go for a deep target" when i find a target that is deep I just let go of my detector and dig with my scoop. the detector hangs by my side, control by side of my chest, and in 3 years of using the harness has yet to get in my way.

I hunted with the stock coils for the first 2 years before I switch to the large coils, I have a couple times tried going back to the stock 10" coils, but I just can not go back to them. I am finding targets with the 15" WOT and 15"x18" SEF Butterfly coils that are far deeper than the stock 10 inch coils, and more importantlyI am covering 50% more ground with each sweep. I have pulled up deep targets with the large coils that are easily over 14+ inches. To each his own.

I commend you sir for still being active and out there hunting, I hope I am able to do the same when I am 71.

 

[junglejim]

Alot of input guys. Appreciate it. It seems the more input I get the harder it is to make my decision. I am leaning strongly towards an older GB2, GMT, or MXT. My problem is my tight budget, I am asking alot but I am trying to not spend more than $400 and so far these machines aren't quite in my price range yet. Anyone know of any dealers that might be reasonable for me? Thanks everyone

 

[DavidRamey]

It depends on the size of gold found in the area you want to nugget shoot in. The Gold Bug 2 will find the smallest nuggets deeper than any other metal detector. The GMT will find nuggets 1/10 of a grain (480 grains to an ounce) at a couple of inches. The MXT will find nuggets of 2-3 grains at the same depth. The Gold Bug 2 needs to be manually ground balanced, the GMT can be manually ground balanced, or use auto ground balance. The GMT is easier to use for a beginner. The Gold Bug 2, GMT, MXT, Tesoro Lobo Super Traq, Fisher F-75 and a few others that are good with gold were all designed by Dave Johnson. Any of the Gold detectors will do a good job. It boils down to weight, ease of use and which bells and whistles you want/need. The GMT is the best selling gold detector in Alaska.
I prefer the GMT and MXT and own and use them both in the gold fields here in Alaska.

 

[George (MN)]

Many detectors could work for you. The new Fisher Gold Bug Pro, dealers can't advertise on internet for under $499.95, but you might get a cheaper price quote on phone or in e-mail. If you ever want to expand to coin & relic hunting, you can add the 11" coil. Very lightweight, easy to use, ground adjustment.

Garrett AT Pro about $595 but someone said they got it for $499 including shipping, I assume a phone or e-mail quote. Gold/relic/coin detector, land or underwater to 10'. About 3 lbs.

MXT about 4lbs with batteries, but well balanced with strap. The M6 also does very well on small gold, found gold jewelry with much smaller size & mass than a ring, & was using 12.5" coil! Weight about same. Both good for all land hunting.

I have a Fisher F70, you can find them on the used market for $400 or so. Manual says to use + threshold for tiny objects. Good general purpose detector.

I do hate to try to just suggest one detector as superior to all others. So many detectors are close in performance & preferences vary. Best wishes, George (MN)

 

[Willee]

If you are going to hunt for gold nuggets then you need to buy a machine that is made for that.
The Fisher Gold Bug detectors are priced right and work well for that.

The Garrett AT PRO is a good RELIC and COIN machine but not worth a hoot for nugget hunting.
Unless the nugget is 1oz or larger ... but then even the cheapest detector made could find it.

Go find a dealer that sells to gold prospectors and he can tell you what others are using.