Best Salt Beach Detector for Newbie under $400

[D. Province]

Something I've always been interested in doing and have recently moved to the Texas coastal area. Family and I are planning a trip this week to spend some time on South Padre Island and was hoping to purchase a detector for the trip. Too many choices and too many options.

What would you recommend and why, what wouldn't your recommend:
My budget is $400
Will be used primarily on Texas beaches

Thank you in advance. Happy Hunting! (I plan to)

D. Province

 

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[goodmore]

A used Sovereign can be had for that amount. One of the finest for beach hunting. Just don't get it wet.

 

[dogpound]

if ya don't wanna worry about getting your detector wet or if ya plan on going in the water you might think about the AT pro, its submersible up to 10' and also makes a great land detector. if ya look around you can pick one up for 499 bucks with free shipping.

 

[D. Province]

I am looking at the AT Pro but can't find it at that price anywhere

When using the AT Pro, do you still need a pin point detector as well?

 

[sqwaby]

I use a Tesoro Vaquero and a Fisher F5 at the beaches here in Texas(dry sand to the water). Both machines run stable, the Vaq can be set up a little hotter than the F5 though and I can submerge the coil without falsing. If you want to dig gold you will dig many tabs with both machines, I don't know if the Sov mentioned above can define tabs from gold any better. Get a good scoop or shovel.

 

[coin finder]

Hi, I have about 6 detector, if you only have $ 300 to 400 , look in to a Whites Detector call Coin Hunter or the Ace Detector, BUT Don't Get The Coil WET.. Great on dry sand BUT Not On WET Sand.. Just go out and have some fun and maybe you will find some coins and maybe a ring . Good Luck.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Goodmore is correct, best detector for the salt water beaches is the Minelab Sovereign if your not going in the water more then mid calf (it is NOT waterproof)............. I see them for $300-$400 used, especially the earlier models...Sov GT used will be a little higher......

It will null on iron, (momentarily loss of threshold) telling you the target is iron, It will also null then give you a signal if there is a good target next to the iron.....I can put a iron nail through a gold ring, sweep over it with my Sovereign GT and it will null, then tell me the gold is there...............Others will just see the iron. There is a lot of tiny pieces of iron on most salt water beaches....

I also have 6 detectors, 2 Excals I have modded with special coils, a waterproof Sov GT that can go in the surf and a non waterproof Sovereign GT, a Fisher 1225X and a Whites 6000 XL Pro.....The Sov has BBS, 17 frequencies from 1.5 kHz to 25.5 kHz that it transmits when your detecting, I also use to own a Whites Beachhunter ID..........the Beachhunter has 2 freqs. Not putting the Beachhunter ID down, but if you can get a Sovereign I would highly recommend it, but again it is NOT waterproof.....You can not beat the Sovereign GT for for dry sand, wet sand and very shallow water........I will always own at least 1 Sovereign GT............

BBS is Minelab’s patented multiple frequency metal detection technology. BBS transmits a broad range of 17 frequencies from 1.5 kHz to 25.5 kHz. This broad range of frequencies gives the detector more information about a target and the surrounding environment. BBS technology can be found in Minelab’s Excalibur, Excalibur II and Sovereign metal detectors.

 

[Keppy]

I am looking at the AT Pro but can't find it at that price anywhere

When using the AT Pro, do you still need a pin point detector as well?

If you are hunting on a beach you never need a pinpointer for you use a scoop........ but inland almost everone uses a pinpointer no matter what detector they use............... I have a sovereign and i just got a AT Pro and that AT Pro is going to be the detector i use most it is really nice..........you would like it..... A lot of water & beach hunters are saying they love it..............

 

[Monty]

Don't underprice yourself. Wait a few months and be able to spend about $600. I once bought a $400 dollar Chinese made water detector and it was worth about $1.50! Monty