Fisher 1265x???

[DanTheNewbie]

Ve been detecting for a few months now and am using a low end bounty hunter, didn't want to go big and then find out I didn't enjoy it. Well I have a chance to get a hold of a 1265x was wondering if it would out perform the newer bounty hunter I have, I've read there deep seeking and you can switch between discs, anyone on here ever own one? Is it decent, deep ect. Any info would help, thank you!!

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[woof!]

1265 and BH's very different animals. A couple questions:

1. What kinds of sites do you intend to hunt, and what are you trying to find there?

2. Do you prefer stone-axe simple stuff, or products with gobs of features?

The 1265 is operationally simple, short on "features", and goes deep on coins. It typically air tests on the order of 11-12 inches on coins. You have to learn to hunt by sounds: the 1265 has a reputation for being pretty noisy in trash which doesn't help the learning curve. It's not a lightweight (about 4 pounds with batteries), but the ergonomics are excellent which helps make up for the weight. Being an oldie, it's off warranty. Searchcoils are still available. Make sure the searchcoil connector is the metal Switchcraft type: the plastic type that was on the earliest units tended to go bad after a few months' use.

I don't know what 1265's in good condition typically go for, but wild guess I'd say $200-250. You can probably get better answers on the Fisher forum.

You didn't say which BH model you have. The lowest price tag units air test about 5-7 inches on coins, whereas the top-of-the-line Platinum and (discontinued) Time Ranger typically air test about 10-11 inches.

If you're in the market for a new high performance detector, we've got those in the Teknetics and Fisher product lines.

--Dave J.

[Tom_in_CA]

"It typically air tests on the order of 11-12 inches on coins."

Dude, are you sure you're not confusing this with the 1266x I dunno about air-tests, but the 1265 would not get beyond 7"-ish in the ground, on a dime-size target.

[woof!]

1265 typical air test 11-12 inches in air, 1266 typically about 13, on US coins. They were and still are known for "hots".

As with most metal detectors, in-ground depth generally less, sometimes a lot less, depending on ground conditions and how much discrimination you're using, etc. y'know, the usual list of suspects.

--Dave J.

[DanTheNewbie]

The one I'm using now is a discovery 1100 I believe . It was used when I got it. It only sees big targets past 4 inches and gives of negatives in sand and near water, I'm not paying anything for the 1265x trading a guitar for it that I don't use. Even if this machine gets me just a few more inches I won't feel like in leaving to much behind as most coins are going to be in the 5-6 inch range.

[kai_gold]

Dave,

How does the 1266x compare depth wise to the cz line in mineralized sand (i.e. 4 bars on F5 meter). It seems that the 1266 is fixed ground balance, yet people talk up its depth. Does the circuitry still handle the mineralization pretty well?

[woof!]

Kai, I think I counted 17 beeps in your resume, so I don't think you'll choke whenI say "well, it depends". Depends on a thousand things you didn't say in your post and wouldn't be able to quantify even if you wanted to.

That having been said, in mineralized sand, a CZ will usually outperform a 1266. This reflects what the design objectives of the CZ were, beginning in 1981, ten years before we had developed the technology to the point where we had a marketable product. Here we are 21 years later and with minor revs it's still in production, something virtually unheard-of in consumer electronics.

--Dave J.

[cokat7]

The 1266x is still known as one of the ultimate deepseeking machines ever made, with the 1265x equal to it or slightly less.
this should help clarify a few things.
fisher 1266x - still a relic hunting legend?

[DanTheNewbie]

Thank you guys for the info!! The people on this site are amazingly knowledgable in the field of detecting!!

[kai_gold]

Dave,

Thanks. Yes, I understand the it depends idea. That is why I have tried so many detectors over the years. If a feature interests me I like to try it and match it up against what I have for specific applications. I mainly look for gold jewelry inland. Silver and clad is alright but not the goal. I have no beaches here in the desert and so I focus on playgrounds and sometimes turf. Here in Arizona much of the playground sand is highly mineralized, maxes out the ferrous meter on the F5. I use the Gold Bug 2 in wood chips but in some sand it only gets 2-3" on coin / ring sized items with nickels more pronounced. The Gold Bug Pro and F5 do a little better but not much. So to better frame the question, the cz or 1266 would mostly be used in playground sand to get a little more depth in hopes of finding rings missed by others. In the sand I accept that many of the small items are being masked and that is just how it goes. A detectorist in the area says he can get 5-6" with the 1266x with its preset ground balance and I wondered how the cz's compare in the mineralization. I do not in anyway expect beach depths. Not sure I am ready to take a pi to playground, but it is a possibility.

P.S. For anyone who reads this and sees the depths I mention, realize that where I detect is really hot ground. These same detectors get much better depth when I use them in moderate mineralized areas and even better with less mineralization. The ground here even brings the $1200 plus vlf detectors to their knees.

James

[Tom_in_CA]

How does the 1266x compare depth wise to the cz line in mineralized sand (i.e. 4 bars on F5 meter). It seems that the 1266 is fixed ground balance, yet people talk up its depth. Does the circuitry still handle the mineralization pretty well?

The 1266 does lousy in minerals. It "fabled depth" is only attainable in nice white sand, or extremely low mineralized soil. Once you start adding minerals, you can kiss the depth goodbye. Well, at least the ability to have any sort of useable disc, beyond about 5". In minerals, after about 5", everything starts to sound the same. So what good does the depth do, when you can tell nails apart from conductors, and everything is just indistinguishable clicks and clacks?

But the 1266 can be impressive in dry sand beach hunting (assuming cleaner whiter sand), where you could pull pennies and dimes and such from vveeerryy deep. But aside from that, no, it's deep seeking abilities sort of wain when you add minerals to the mix, and need any sort of ability to discern various targets.

[DanTheNewbie]

It's all good not paying anything for it, as long as it works better than a bounty hunter discovery I'm happy I was only getting 5 in on air test haha this I got 10-11 in. I've never used a vlf so I assume I'm going to just dig everything until I learn the sounds

[DanTheNewbie]

Where would I buy coils and cables for this would 1270x parts work or would I have to find new/ old stock? I just got it today and this thing looks like its barely been used, it's almost as old as me but looks twice as good haha