thinking of buying a metal detector.

TerryC

Gold Member
Jun 26, 2008
7,732
10,991
Yarnell, AZ
Detector(s) used
Ace 250 (2), Ace 300, Gold Bug 2, Tesoro Cortes, Garrett Sea Hunter, Whites TDI SL SE, Fisher Impulse 8, Minelab Monster 1000, Minelab CTX3030, Falcon MD20, Garrett Pro-pointer, Calvin Bunker digger.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Hey Ski, from another "Zki"
Look no further than this net. SEVERAL guys that post can advise you. Try Mike of Woodland Detectors, for one. TRY to buy local. The net's advertisers are also knowledgable, such as Kellyco. I have owned several, and still do. Since the choices to you are mindblowing, I will leave that choice to you. TTC
 

Chug And Red

Gold Member
Feb 18, 2010
7,396
2,678
Vancouver WA
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Chug)Whites Classic 5 ID, (Red Whites Coin master Pro)

Chug and Reds New Additions

Give It Up>> Garrett's AT Pro
Buttercup>> Garrett's Ace 250
Show Me the Money>> Garrets Ace 400
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
TerryC said:
Hey Ski, from another "Zki"
Look no further than this net. SEVERAL guys that post can advise you. Try Mike of Woodland Detectors, for one. TRY to buy local. The net's advertisers are also knowledgable, such as Kellyco. I have owned several, and still do. Since the choices to you are mindblowing, I will leave that choice to you. TTC

Try Mike He Is Great!!! Red Got Her's From Him!!! Hoping to Get Out this Weekend!!! It Only thake a call Let him Know what type Of Hunting You Want to Do And the Price Range And He will Hook you Up!!! Chug and Red
 

gleaner1

Silver Member
Feb 1, 2009
4,491
1,023
Gateway to the 1000 Islands
Detector(s) used
Sometime(s)
Primary Interest:
Other
ckrakowski said:
i have been thinking of buying a metal detector for quite some time and was wondering what type was best. what website/s would you recommend?

The best type is just somebody's opinion and there is no best type. I recommend more specific questions that address particular metal tectin goals. Perhaps you are a fresh water beach hunter, and you want to dive with the machine. Or you may be a gold nugget shooter out in the wild hills somewhere. As far as web sites, do you mean for purchasing a metal detector, or for research? Its a tough topic to nail down.
 

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ckrakowski

Hero Member
May 7, 2009
767
61
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
i am looking for one that can be used for having fun and searching fields for coins.
 

kayden

Bronze Member
Apr 24, 2011
1,331
229
Pennsylvania
Detector(s) used
Ace250,AT Pro & Garrett Propointer!
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All Treasure Hunting
Yah better hurry before they are all sold out ...after all these shows on TV Im hearing they are very busy!
 

Bart@Big Boys Hobbies

Supporting Vendor
Supporting Vendor
Jul 24, 2005
4,591
1,217
Moore Oklahoma
Detector(s) used
Call for your Treasurenet special discount! Be sure to mention Tnet when you call!
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
i have been thinking of buying a metal detector for quite some time and was wondering what type was best. what website/s would you recommend?

Be glad to help you and give ya a great deal! Give me a holler with questions!
 

Michigan Badger

Gold Member
Oct 12, 2005
6,797
148
Northern, Michigan
Detector(s) used
willow stick
Primary Interest:
Other
Buying a detector is a lot like taking a wife or husband. You have to find one that fits your needs and is able to put up with your quirks.

Best talk to some experienced people who do your type of hunting.
 

Metal Detecting Stuff

Supporting Vendor
Supporting Vendor
Mar 19, 2012
6,746
1,073
Spring TX
Detector(s) used
CTX3030/F75LTD/ Garrett AtPro/ XP Deus
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Ford or Chevy? Lots of choices, you can get a decent machine for shallow coin hunting for as little as $200+-. Give me a call or email if I can help you narrow your choices!

Wayne
 

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ckrakowski

Hero Member
May 7, 2009
767
61
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Be glad to help you and give ya a great deal! Give me a holler with questions!

Ford or Chevy? Lots of choices, you can get a decent machine for shallow coin hunting for as little as $200+-. Give me a call or email if I can help you narrow your choices!

Wayne

right now i am just thinking about it but if i decide to go through with it i will keep you two guys in mind ok.
 

goldentruth

Hero Member
Nov 3, 2011
523
38
French Gulch, North Calif.
Detector(s) used
"WHITES" GOLDMASTER "GMT" & "TESORO GOLDEN SABRE II" with silent search.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
As anyone will tell you, go with a major name brand and the type of detecting. For coins you will find Tesoro,Whites,Garett & minelab have great "Coin machines". Continue to google "youtube" and see the videos of many machines in action and their finds! You can take it from there, it is always not to go into something blind. Everybody has an oppinion and a favorite.
Stick with TNET if any questions, many good members here will give you good input. Good luck friend.
 

Charlie P. (NY)

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2006
13,003
17,106
South Central Upstate NY in the foothills of the h
Detector(s) used
Minelab Musketeer Advantage Pro w/8" & 10" DD coils/Fisher F75se(Upgraded to LTD2) w/11" DD, 6.5" concentric & 9.5" NEL Sharpshooter DD coils/Sunray FX-1 Probe & F-Point/Black Widows/Rattler headphone
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,410
30,022
White Plains, New York
🥇 Banner finds
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🏆 Honorable Mentions:
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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
Depends on what kind of money, time and sweat you want to put into the hobby. Tesoro Compadre / Garrett Ace 250 / Fisher F2 / Tesoro Vaquero / Minelab Etrac...
 

goldentruth

Hero Member
Nov 3, 2011
523
38
French Gulch, North Calif.
Detector(s) used
"WHITES" GOLDMASTER "GMT" & "TESORO GOLDEN SABRE II" with silent search.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Be sure you get a popular name brand that has good customer service. (Some made out of the USA could possibly hold you up on customer service.) A brand that has a great popular track record with youtube videos of it in action so you can not just take oppinions but see for yourself production & at a fair cost. Got to cover your bases, this is your investment so be the judge so later you can enjoy your hobby than later wishing that you would have got one that was better or more suited for your type of use.(Or over spent when a lower cost MD preforms as good or better than a higher priced one you bought. (Take your time and buy smart, Just to help out), good luck friend.
 

idigjars

Full Member
Feb 27, 2012
141
6
SW Michigan
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
There are so many choices it's hard to make a decision, at least for me. I want to buy one next month. Good luck on your decision. Best regards. Paul :)
 

AIRFORCEMIKE

Jr. Member
Jan 31, 2012
62
6
Kenosha Wi
Detector(s) used
Minelab SE PRO, Minelab 705, Garrett AT PRO, Predator Model 31, Lesche, Garrett PP, Camo Killer B's.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Bart has some killer deals and is a great person to deal with ...i have talked to him many times..always a huge help.
 

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,305
54,466
Florida
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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
Metal detecting is like playing golf. different clubs for different situations. different detectors for different situations. Decide what type of hunting you wanna do then look for the detector that is best suited for that type of hunting.


You want to get a name brand a detector for several reasons, you are more likely to stay with a hobby if you get a good detector, and if you decide the hobby is not for you it is easier to sell the detector if it is a good name brand detector....

WARNING..... this hobby is addictive.....
 

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liftloop

Silver Member
May 7, 2008
3,140
390
lakelinden mi
Detector(s) used
MXTdeepscan 8by14dd, bulls eye 2, 5900diprosl Maxima1500, Master Hunter cx plus Treasure Hound, surf
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
white's make a good detector the coin master wont let you down...
 

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ckrakowski

Hero Member
May 7, 2009
767
61
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
is a garrett ace 250 good for finding coins?


how far down does it "see" in inches? what is the max?
 

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Mzjavert

Silver Member
Oct 7, 2011
2,780
2,747
Indiana
Detector(s) used
Bounty Hunter Mark IV
Garrett Ace 350
Garrett Carrot
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
is a garrett ace 250 good for finding coins?


how far down does it "see" in inches? what is the max?

The Ace 250 does just fine on coins. So does every machine I've ever tried. I had one, gave it a good 100 hours, and hated it. The multiple tones drove me crazy when the object didn't fall into one of the dozen pretty categories and you'd have two or three different tones going off pretty much at the same time. At times it reminded me of a group of preschoolers all "playing" different instruments at the same time. It drove me to distraction at times. BUT the 250 has a tone of fans who love the multiple tones and everything else about the machine.

Another distraction about the machine is that the screen is small for all the info it contains. Something to consider if you are over 40 or any age if you have to wear glasses.

I also noticed that it has a fairly wide field around the coil, not just straight down.

As far as coin sized objects, depending on soil conditions, 6 to 9 inches.

**Coinmaster-Much larger and easier to read screen. Though it only has 8 divisions rather than the dozen the 250 has. Single tone that is not annoying (to me). Depth readings are highly accurate and it will go deep. If you scan over an object 10 times and it reads nickel, then one foil reading...it'll probably be can slaw. A zinc penny reading will either be a penny or a dime. One quarter reading I got was a rope style silver ring. I'm not complaining about that. I'm roughly 5'7/5'8" and the coil is about an inch or so off the ground at my preferred angle. So that's something I have to pay attention to. This is my back-up machine, so I use if every couple of weeks to keep up with how it works.

Personally though, if your budget allows it, if you are looking for a display machine, get a mid-range/priced detector. It will have more id divisions, which means less bouncing around of the id. It will have more features so you won't outgrow it as quickly.

My favorite machine is a Tesoro audio-only machine. (They do make a couple of coin machines with displays.) I don't find a no display to be a disadvantage. I want to find gold, so I pretty much dig everything nickel and above. Once I get fully employed again, I've got a Cibola in my sites. Anyway I can tell penny signals...they scream at me even several inches down. Dime signals are roughly the same when shallow, but produce a weaker signal past about 2 inches. Nickel signals tend to be smooth except when they are near the surface. Quarter signals, even up near the surface, are nearly always quieter than penny or dime signals. Doesn't make sense but that's how my machine reads them. Stainless steel, even at the surface, is a very scratchy, iffy signal...they don't want to be found. Iron tends to be broken, but if it's a large item with a good halo it can scream at me.

My Tesoro (uses 1 9V battery) sips battery power. A fresh alkaline will easily last a month to six weeks of nearly daily hunts. With the Ace 250 (takes 4 AA batteries) and Coinmaster (2 9V batteries) I get two to three weeks, maybe a bit less, with fresh batteries. My hunts will range in length from 30 minutes to 2 hours in most cases. In my experience display machines will go through batteries quicker as they put more demand on the batteries. So keep operating costs in mind.

Hope this helps.
 

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