Need to replace Stock 8.5x11 coil on the AT Pro... Considering NEL Hunter... Advice?

cruiserkev

Full Member
Jan 18, 2015
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I use the CORS scout 8.5 x 12.5 on my AT Gold and love it. Same as a NEL Hunter coil, more ground coverage and depth over the Garrett DD, works awesome in water, open fields and on the beach. Got mine from amazon for $142 delivered and had it in 2 days. It hasn't come off my detector in 3 months now. Hope this helps, happy hunting! :thumbsup:
 

cruiserkev

Full Member
Jan 18, 2015
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Yes it detects well on the edges and tips. This works well for finding targets under hedges and shrubs or under fallen trees when there isn't much room to swing. I'm hunting in parks and schools too and have vastly increased the amount of targets I dig. The scout coil does not go as deep as as the Tornado/Storm or Big NELs and is slightly heavier than the Garrett DD but I am happy with it's performance. It also has a
very well made connection where the wire meets the coil so I would expect it to hold up to abuse better than your coil did. :icon_thumright:
 

s.c.shooter

Bronze Member
Jul 28, 2008
1,063
730
SC
Detector(s) used
Minelab Sov- AT PRO - AT Max - Equinox 600
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TrashureSeeker

Sr. Member
Jan 11, 2016
275
390
Germany
Detector(s) used
AT Pro, EuroAce 350, magnets on ropes
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
Not for me. I don't have very many trashy areas, and coverage in a swing is more important. Target separation is usually not an issue, as it's by "Feet" in my areas. I had a 5x8 coil come with my rig, and sold it to get a set of waterproof headphones.

Thank you though, I know the 5x8 is a very popular coil.

Cheers,

Skippy

If I were you I'd get either the Nel Tornado or Hunter. I'm trying to get my hands on a Hunter myself, but apparently my seller only sells the AT Gold version.
 

metaljunkie

Jr. Member
Sep 15, 2013
71
86
Thunder Bay
Detector(s) used
Deus with 11" coil
Home made water kit for deus
Garrett at pro with stock coil
5x8 coil
nel hunter coil
Pro pointer
Garrett euro ace
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
The hunter is an amazing coil for the at pro. Deeper than the stock coil and as i remember it gave a little more subtle info on what was under the coil.
Before i purchased it, I always used the 5x8. As it seemed to get almost the same depth as the stock coil. But the hunter with its better depth, actually had an advantage over the stock and 5x8 for depth. So well worth the upgrade and it compliments the 5x8 very well. Hunter for extra depth and 5x8 for the trash. Get the hunter, you will love it!
 

TrashureSeeker

Sr. Member
Jan 11, 2016
275
390
Germany
Detector(s) used
AT Pro, EuroAce 350, magnets on ropes
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
The hunter is an amazing coil for the at pro. Deeper than the stock coil and as i remember it gave a little more subtle info on what was under the coil.
Before i purchased it, I always used the 5x8. As it seemed to get almost the same depth as the stock coil. But the hunter with its better depth, actually had an advantage over the stock and 5x8 for depth. So well worth the upgrade and it compliments the 5x8 very well. Hunter for extra depth and 5x8 for the trash. Get the hunter, you will love it!

Thanks for the input, I will try and find one for the AT Pro.
 

Normsel

Bronze Member
Sep 10, 2012
1,191
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D'Iberville MS
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E-Trac
Equinox 800
Equinox 600
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I would be careful how much money you invest in an AT Pro. By the time you start spending $150+ for extra coils and more you could upgrade to a better detector. At Pro gets so much praise because so many people own them. I have one and I am dam good with it but it's limited. I have two other detectors that make the ATP look like childs play.
 

TrashureSeeker

Sr. Member
Jan 11, 2016
275
390
Germany
Detector(s) used
AT Pro, EuroAce 350, magnets on ropes
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
I would be careful how much money you invest in an AT Pro. By the time you start spending $150+ for extra coils and more you could upgrade to a better detector. At Pro gets so much praise because so many people own them. I have one and I am dam good with it but it's limited. I have two other detectors that make the ATP look like childs play.

So what detector that is at around 1k makes the AT Pro look like child's play? Even with the 5x8 and the NEL I'm below 1k. I need waterproof so that rules out most below that price point, all I can find are a Tesoro and Fisher model and I doubt those are incredibly better. After that it jumps right up to 2k with the ATX and Minelab CTX 3030 and I'm considering upgrading to the CTX when I can justify the purchase but up until there I'm pretty happy with the AT Pro.
 

Last edited:

TrashureSeeker

Sr. Member
Jan 11, 2016
275
390
Germany
Detector(s) used
AT Pro, EuroAce 350, magnets on ropes
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
Hey Trashure. I looked at both the Tornado and the Hunter and while the coil area is "larger" by a big degree on the Tornado, it's forte' is only going to be depth. In fact, when I actually look at the coverage gained in a swing, it's nominal if not LESS. If you compare tip to tail lengths (which is actually what will determine coverage in a sweep over the vast majority of the swing)

Hunter:
12.5"
Tornado:
12"

Tornado is wider, meaning you'll catch a bit more on each edge, but it's not longer, which means you're covering .5" less across the whole strip of the swing. Since I'm a shallow target hunter, I don't need the big concentric. BTW, I've already ordered the NEL Hunter. :)

It's funny because I ordered the Hunter yesterday night :) However I will have to wait a long time since it has to get to me from Ukraine as my semi-local seller only stocks the AT Gold version. Can't wait to test it, I'm mostly after shallow beach targets myself so I came to the same conclusion.
 

toyboy

Newbie
Aug 7, 2016
4
2
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
for a tot lot you can't really do much better than an at pro.i have the international version with the 8.5x11 and 5x8 coil.
i don't even use the larger coil--the 5x8 and the at pro are made for each other.so well balanced and lite with no perceivable loss of depth.
tot lots with cedar mulch usually have a black liner under the mulch so it's not a deep bed of mulch.

sand tot lots are not as good for the at pro but it still works(a nice 5 gram 14k gold pendant proved that!).

in water a larger coil might help--i haven't done enough lake testing to show if the at pro is good or not.
salt water beach--even salty wet sand is a nogo for sure--i've tried.

i have an etrac and forget about one in a tot lot.it won't find small silver or gold.also,canadian clad is almost unreadable on an etrac.
pennies on both machine sound out well but honestly i like the at pro better because of the sound it makes on strong targets like pennies.

i really need to try an etrac on the beach to see how it performs.
 

TrashureSeeker

Sr. Member
Jan 11, 2016
275
390
Germany
Detector(s) used
AT Pro, EuroAce 350, magnets on ropes
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
for a tot lot you can't really do much better than an at pro.i have the international version with the 8.5x11 and 5x8 coil.
i don't even use the larger coil--the 5x8 and the at pro are made for each other.

That's what I'm thinking, the 5x8 is really the best coil for most environments. However on the freshwater beach I hunt mostly I need more area coverage on the wet sand, it drives me crazy to walk half steps :)
 

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