I have a few questions.

[wmerrill]

Last year I purchased a Garrett ACE 400. I added a 4.5" coil. I've been using it along my driveway for practice. I've been getting signals in the 80's with the detector indicating that the target is over 8" deep. Is that possible with a 4.5" coil? I tried digging one of the targets and got down to about 6" and the pin-pointer still didn't register anything. I've also had to decrease the sensitivity for the detector to work in that area. I thought I would lose some depth when I did that?
I also purchased a Garrett AT MAX this spring and will probably have a few questions on it after I've worked with it a while. I recently returned to the hobby since retiring a couple years ago. Any words of wisdom are much appreciated.

 

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[smokeythecat]

It is possible. I'd get away from the driveway as there may be all kinds of metal stuff there. Deepest target I ever finally retrieved was over 2' deep at a beach. It was a pain, and I fell in the hole! Don't tell anyone about that.

 

[wmerrill]

Thanks, your secret is safe with me. I hope it was a good target. I thought I would go down the drive because I've already recovered numerous coins and wanted to see how the small coil would work around the trash. I may go for it when I get the chance and see what it is.

 

[digger460]

It is possible. I'd get away from the driveway as there may be all kinds of metal stuff there. Deepest target I ever finally retrieved was over 2' deep at a beach. It was a pain, and I fell in the hole! Don't tell anyone about that.

 

[jsulateskee]

It's possible that it's a larger target (large concentration of trash or larger object). I'd recommend lifting the coil off the ground and see how far up you can lift it before you lose the signal. Typically if you're still getting a pretty good hit quite a ways up then that can indicate a larger target. Good luck!

 

[releventchair]

Sensitivity is not how deep I poke you with a pin....it is how much it hurts.

Deeper targets at the limit of my 350 are usually large. Large enough to not want to recover. Though a prized seated dime was with/ quite near a small nail and piece of wire at around ten inches. No,not normal for me.

One thing to do with a big hit deep target is to mark your " hot spot" as if you were pinpointing with the detector and then check around,beyond,along the spot.
Some folks buried shallow electric wires ,copper and other metal pipes ect.

Septic tank lids are fun too......

The suggestion of raising the coil over big deep hits is a good one. A flat beer/ soda can will be a good example. Of course the mind wants it to be something fascinating instead.

I dug deep in a park. Careful to be able to backfill and blend so not to be a messy or grass killing recovery.
A great silver hit on the detector. Must be a can of silver dollars ..l.o.l..

At about 18 inches and an slightly enlarged plug.....silver showed! Looked kinda like an end wrench middle span an not tarnished or corroded.
Now I was carefully removing soil both directions underground to get a better idea....
It was a stainless counter top from a former razed and leveled restroom on the grounds.
I did not try to uncover any more of it or remove it. Though I usually remove all trash...
Took a while to fill things in and secure the sod and tuck things in and then blend in any sign of assault after brushing crumbs around then blending further with grass clippings and leaves.

I then left deep targets in that area alone for that day. ( While my mind tried to hint of a cached bucket of silver or two missed ,but it was o.k.!)

 

[against the wind]

Depending on the type of driveway / sidewalk you have, many methods of installing sidewalks involves pouring concrete over steel grating or rebar. I stay away from them as much as possible.

 

[RustyGold]

What ATW said..

 

[Normsel]

The signal along the driveway was most likely rusty nails from the driveway forms. Rarely is there ever any mesh or rebar in a residential driveway or sidewalk. Now commercial property or even newer public sidewalks you may have mesh or rebar.

Rusty nails will fool you into thinking you have clad or silver