CTX 3030, AT Pro, Excalibur 2

[Qlipphotic]

I'm stuck in a bit of a quandry. I mainly hunt beaches, both dry and wet sand, with an Ace 250. It's my first machine and I'm looking to upgrade. I want something versatile that I can use on wet and dry sand, in fresh and salt water, and be able to do parks as well. I've read A LOT about all three detectors but really can't decide, I know they're all very different machines and have their pros and cons. Would it be better to get the AT Pro since I've already learned the Garrett machines and it's a really good price for such a great detector? Should I go with a CTX 3030 which seems like the best detector in that style on the market right now (although it seems a bit overpriced)? Or should I go with an Exaclibur 2 since I primarily do beaches? It's a stymieing position I find myself in so any thoughts I could on this would be great!

OR if anyone can recommend something that would be good for the hunting I mentioned, that would be awesome as well. Price isn't important, I just want a machine that will do me right.

Also, I'm in southern california so these are the beaches I'd be hunting. I know that all beaches are different and west coast is different from east, etc.

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

If you say you want to do parks (land) too, then the choice is hands-down simple: The 3030.

If you're not actually planning to dunk or submerge, you can actually just get any of the predecessor explorers too, which would mimic the 3030 (except not be water proof). And if you ever did get in a situation where you were going to be in rain (like during beach storm erosion), or getting slapped /sprayed by an occasional wave, you could just wrap the explorer in plastic and black tape for such occasions.

But if you plan on being on the beach alot, in the water's edge, then water proof is always nice. I've had more than one non-water proof machine take a swim and get fried when I got knocked down by wave!! And then the plastic wrap and black tape isn't sufficient. Doh! But if you're safely on the inter-tidal zone, and aren't planning on being in rainy storms, then as I say, a standard explorer would do.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

the excal would not be good on land, in park turf, IMHO. Annoying long beeeooonnnggs. Great for the beach, but annoying on land with close side-by-side signals.

 

[Qlipphotic]

I've heard a lot of mixed reviews about the 3030 in saltwater so I'm a little scared of it because of the price. I'm interested if anyone in cali has used one in the salt here and how it stands up. The beach I usually go to is super noisy, especially near the wet sand and the saltwater is a joke with my ace 250. I'm right at the port of la so there's a ton of crap in that water.

 

[Fletch88]

3030 hands down. If you did beach and surf exclusively I would say Excal.

 

[cudamark]

Yup, I agree with both Tom and Fletch. The CTX3030 is the best out there right now. If the price is not a problem, you won't regret it.

 

[HYMBAW]

Are you people seriously comparing a $600 machine with a $2500 machine?

 

[Fletch88]

Are you people seriously comparing a $600 machine with a $2500 machine? STUPID!

I'm in no way comparing the ATP to a CTX or an excalibur, hence the phrase "hands down" meaning no comparison. He asked which one to buy for his hunting situation(s) and I gave my opinion. If he hadn't said saltwater and wanted to stay with Garrett because of familiarity with that line, I may have said buy the ATP. In my opinion you may be better off with an Excal for water/ wet sand hunting and an Etrac for wet sand/ land hunting. The CTX does have a lot of little "things" you have to worry with all the time when dunking it in the surf like water intrusion, sand getting all up in the sliding carbon fiber housing, headphone jack and USB port leaking, etc. I never feel that way with "Old Blue" she's solid as a tank in or out of the water, but a little slow to hunt a trashy park with.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Are you people seriously comparing a $600 machine with a $2500 machine?

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[Rangerbb]

If money is no object buy the CTX. Or you could buy the Excal for the beach and also keep the Ace 250 for parks, etc. It's always nice to have a back up unit if one breaks...

 

[dirtscratcher]

Are you people seriously comparing a $600 machine with a $2500 machine?

I guess all the guys that will tell you the atp is better than the others just missed this thread. They should be here pretty quick.

 

[gsxraddict]

CTX is the best machine on the market, the AT Pro can't compare because it was not made to. Two different prices two different machines with different capabilities.

The Excalibur is not what you're looking for to hunt on land.

 

[Qlipphotic]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the responses. I'm gonna go with the CTX. After I get it to pay for it's I plan on getting a PI to use on the beach as well. That's a whole other discussion though as I'm torn between a sandshark and an Excalibur.

Do they still make the Bigfoot coils or are those all gone nowadays? I saw one once and thought it was absolutely awesome and would be great for beach detecting.

 

[Mach1Pilot]

Another nod for the CTX3030... the FBS2 technology is proving itself to be outstanding in both on land and in the water.

 

[Metal Detecting Stuff]

The CTX3030 is waterproof. You do need to do proper maintenance to maintain the waterproof integrity. The ones that have leaked had sand on the O ring, Minelab has repaired or replaced the units that leaked.

Check out Gary Drayton, he uses the CTX 3030 and Excalibur 'll. He's written several books explaining. How he succeeds by using the CTX while others are digging clad.

Wayne

Www.metaldetectingstuff.com

 

[treasurecoasteric]

Are you planning on actually submerging the machine in the water?
If not, I may have a great answer....

Sent from my BNTV600 using TreasureNet

 

[cudamark]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the responses. I'm gonna go with the CTX. After I get it to pay for it's I plan on getting a PI to use on the beach as well. That's a whole other discussion though as I'm torn between a sandshark and an Excalibur.

Do they still make the Bigfoot coils or are those all gone nowadays? I saw one once and thought it was absolutely awesome and would be great for beach detecting.

Once you get the CTX, it's unlikely you'll need a PI machine or an Excalibur. unless you're going to go deeper than 10' in the water.

 

[gleaner1]

cz21 get the big ten inch

 

[cudamark]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the responses. I'm gonna go with the CTX. After I get it to pay for it's I plan on getting a PI to use on the beach as well. That's a whole other discussion though as I'm torn between a sandshark and an Excalibur.

Do they still make the Bigfoot coils or are those all gone nowadays? I saw one once and thought it was absolutely awesome and would be great for beach detecting.

Get the 17" search coil made for the CTX. It was an included option when you bought the detector a few months ago. Maybe there's some sort of promotion still?

 

[Qlipphotic]

I'm actually going to be getting both the 17" and the 6". That way I'll have something for every situation. And the gray ghost headphones.

As soon as my stormtrooper armor comes I'll take a picture of me detecting with it as a stormtrooper, combing the desert if you will