Should we buy deepest detector or not?

George (MN)

Hero Member
May 16, 2005
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We hate to miss things that could be valuable, but what if we detect mostly manicured lawns such as schoolyards, private yards, & parks? If we can't make a hole neatly beyond 5" deep with our probe such as screwdriver, should we not buy detector that goes beyond 5" & save $1,000+?

We like to see impressive air tests if we do them, and congratulate ourselves on buying the best. But what if we get arrested for digging a foot deep hole? Should we not buy a detector that tempts us to dig that deep? What is the rational way to think about this?

Is we don't hunt private property, our deepest coins might come from beaches, sand playgrounds and volleyball pits. Is 7"-8" about the max depth required for these places? Best wishes, George (MN)
 

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RobRieman

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My advice is to learn to dig neat plugs and buy the best detector you can afford that is suited for the type of hunting that you do most often. Don't be afraid to dig deep if needed if the targets exist. You just have to know your limitations depending on where you are detecting and the proper time to do it. If you have deep targets, chances are they are the oldest coins and relics. If your in it for surface clad, any cheap beep and dig will work. If you like the hobby you will be searching for the next best detector as soon as you purchase an inferior one. It is a sickness :) Good luck!
 

luvsdux

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May 16, 2007
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I agree with Rob, it's a sickness. However, I think one should give consideration to how deep they want to dig as most of us don't necessarily need the deepest possible detector. Discrimination, ease of learning and other factors may mean more than raw depth to some. In the end, buy what works for YOUR needs.
luvsdux
 

Fletch88

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Mar 7, 2013
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I like lightweight and simple such as Tesoro. I have chased depth by buying CTX, Etrac etc, but have found that location is much more important than depth when looking for old coins or relics. I do not seek silver exclusively but the few I have found have been from 4-8" anyway.
 

Phantasman

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Nov 24, 2006
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The fear of losing treasure to not enough depth is over rated. There is as much trash at 12" as there is at 6". Watch any video you like on hunts. Almost all treasure finds are 8" or less. The expensive deep machines don't find any "more" than the mid priced machines, they just find the few that mid priced machines miss. Same treasure to trash ratio. Depth doesn't equate age. Even dinosaur bones have been found just below the surface.

I posted a story awhile back of the guy who found an ancient gold coin spill that calculated into the millions. He had an Ace 150. I'm sure the $2500 machine would have found it as well. But to back Fletch, the location is more important than depth. A guy can dig 25 8" holes an hour or 15 12" holes an hour, and that means nothing more than seeking East and West or North and South. One covers more depth while the other covers more area. What matters is how well you know your detectors language and a plan for what you are seeking.

I chuckle every time a new person wants to buy a $1000- $1500 due to depth, as if the higher priced detector gives him/her a better chance at finding treasure.
 

cudamark

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We hate to miss things that could be valuable, but what if we detect mostly manicured lawns such as schoolyards, private yards, & parks? If we can't make a hole neatly beyond 5" deep with our probe such as screwdriver, should we not buy detector that goes beyond 5" & save $1,000+?

We like to see impressive air tests if we do them, and congratulate ourselves on buying the best. But what if we get arrested for digging a foot deep hole? Should we not buy a detector that tempts us to dig that deep? What is the rational way to think about this?

Is we don't hunt private property, our deepest coins might come from beaches, sand playgrounds and volleyball pits. Is 7"-8" about the max depth required for these places? Best wishes, George (MN)
Judging by your search venues, yes, get a machine that will go deep. Sand areas can have targets at all manner of depths. Sometimes just an extra 1/2" in depth is the difference between finding that gold ring or passing it by. It's not only the extra depth you get with the better machines, it's the better sound and target I.D. you get also. That can mean a different decision on whether to dig or not. If you're digging in the sand, why are you worried about how deep the hole is?? In a park or grass area, once you cut the plug (3 sided, right?) it's just a matter of removing and replacing the dirt underneath. I use a big Ziploc freezer bag for a drop cloth and pile all the dirt on top of it. Once the target is removed, I just funnel the dirt back into the hole and hinge the plug back over it. Step on it and you're done. No fuss, no mess, no permanent damage. I would just hunt those public areas at off hours so as not to attract the attention of the ignorant lookie lous who are the most likely to complain about nothing. Oh, and if it's legal to hunt a particular location, you're not going to get a ticket. Look up the rules yourself before you hunt there. They're posted either online or at the county courthouse/city hall.
 

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Phantasman

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If you want depth, buy a Tesoro. As the video shows, after 8", the TID becomes useless and you rely on the sound. The Vaquero wasn't going to be denied by the more expensive machines.

 

dirtscratcher

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Mar 18, 2009
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Columbia falls Montana
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If you want depth, buy a Tesoro. As the video shows, after 8", the TID becomes useless and you rely on the sound. The Vaquero wasn't going to be denied by the more expensive machines.



I couldn't agree less with tid being useless after 8 inches. Get a fbs and learn it and you'll see what I mean. All this talk of depth not being important is only true to a certain extent. Anyplace around here that is public you won't find shallow silver but you will find them deep if you have the right detector. I'll add that I tried a vaquero for a year and half and dug very few silver coins and with a fbs dig more on good days than the whole time with the beep and dig. I did dig a whole lot more deep rusty crap with the Tesoro though.
I watched video, what they didn't show is a 8 inch deep rusty washer the vaquero would say dig me and the rest would say iron.
 

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RobRieman

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Yeah I'll stick with my Etrac and V3i. 8" to me is no problem with either one.
 

Phantasman

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Check many reveiwers (metaldetectorreviews? or other sites) and some claim the ETrac gets 7"-8" max. Same with all detectors. Some get great depth, even 18" in some cases. People have owned many of the "deep and expensive" detectors only to turn around and sell them as not seeing the hype.

I'm merely playing devil's advocate here. I'm not saying a machine doesn't do or get the depth someone says it does. But who do you believe, and how do you know when there are so many voices saying this or that about depth? It's over rated as I said. I can watch video after video (with my eyes) and see what different detectors do at depth, including air tests. I see that most of todays detectors get 8"-10". Some better units 12". My LRP is an 80% of most $1000 machines. 80% depth, 80% build, 80% features (and features is questionable). So $260 gets me 80% of many higher priced units. If I want the extra 20% in depth, build, features, I can spend another $500-$1000. But I am not wealthy, nor do I put into this hobby more than I feel that it has the ability to return in fun and finds.
 

dirtscratcher

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You make a good point about who do you believe. I seen so called experts spout advice and then post about finding their first silver coin.if you want advice look for guys digging what you want as in someone digging recent drops is not the person I want advice about relic hunting. If you watch and pay attention there is a lot of that on these forums.
 

Keppy

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There is a lot of truth's stretched on metal detector / treasure hunting forum's... Well on all types of forum's ..... internet forums are like reality Tv not much to believe ...Any detector you buy and like will always be as deep as you need... As you see most are never happy with there detectors they change detectors as often change there sox.... Always want the latest get it and are never happy...
 

bill from lachine

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80% of the keepers are at 6" or less in depth.....so any half decent detector will get you the 80% of the keepers.

So you're paying a heck of a premium chasing after that last 20% missed by other machines....kind of like buying an everyday drinkable bottle of wine or paying $100 or more for a Chateau wine is the quality/price ratio justified?

Regards + HH

Bill
 

cudamark

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80% of the keepers are at 6" or less in depth.....so any half decent detector will get you the 80% of the keepers.

So you're paying a heck of a premium chasing after that last 20% missed by other machines....kind of like buying an everyday drinkable bottle of wine or paying $100 or more for a Chateau wine is the quality/price ratio justified?

Regards + HH

Bill
It is to me. If it isn't to others, fine.......more for me.....in both your examples.
 

dirtscratcher

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It isn't always about the money. Used explorers can be had cheap. The last one I bought was $275.
 

bill from lachine

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Folks,

I guess we can discuss this one till the cows come home...lol...

In any event my every day machine is a Tesoro DeLeon probably cost me about $500 - 6 or so years back....just the rings in my avatar probably paid for it twice over....throw in my other gold, silver, clad and I'm probably at $4,000 so I've done not bad.

Regards + HH

Bill
 

Treasure_Hunter

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It isn't always about the money. Used explorers can be had cheap. The last one I bought was $275.

Explorer and Explorer II are very hard to repair if they can be repaired at all, no LCDs or motherboards available anymore.
 

dirtscratcher

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Mar 18, 2009
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Columbia falls Montana
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Minelab Sov GT Explorer XS Tesoro Vaq t2se x705
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Explorer and Explorer II are very hard to repair if they can be repaired at all, no LCDs or motherboards available anymore.

I have one that is 15 years old and works fine. My ex11 must be 13. As a matter of fact I have 4 that are total of 38 years with out a single problem. On the other hand I have 4 products from another manufacture that have all failed for a 100 percent failure rate. The last thing I worry about is a $275 detector that I've found hundreds of silver coins with. It owes me nothing.
 

Phantasman

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The problem in MD choices is that most can't just go test one as one can test drive a car. They rely on others opinions. Those opinions don't always agree. It's why we buy, sell and trade to find what is right for us. I can tell you how great a Nissan Rogue is, but when you finally drive one, it may not be your ideal automobile. We used to pick cars by how fast they went from 0 to 60. I don't anymore, others may.

I don't knock anyones choice of detectors. I've tried all major brands over the years, and what I have now exceeds not only the depth of most of the others, but have the best hunting experience for how and what I hunt. It's deep enough as I have dug some 10" targets. If depth were paramount, why doesn't everyone just get two-box detectors? Then you're deeper than most.

For those that feel so happy to take the 20% most won't get, do us a favor and make a video of those deep hunts. There are so very of them.
 

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