Just got a safari

ChampFerguson/TN

Bronze Member
Nov 22, 2013
1,181
1,620
TN
Detector(s) used
Minelab Safari .......... Minelab Excalibur II ....... ........Minelab CTX 3030
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I doubt that they will, but hey, it never hurts to try.

You're gonna love your Safari when you start understanding the language it uses(it takes a while to Really become one with your first FBS). If you get it over silver, there is no mistaking the tone. The Safari is a silver hound.
 

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lawman0210

lawman0210

Sr. Member
Jan 6, 2007
286
30
Edgewood, MD
Detector(s) used
Garret ATI Pro, Ace 250 ATI Gold, Fisher F5
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I know it was a dime killer today. I hit 8 dimes in my yard. Already hit it a few times with garrett and fisher
 

Patriot Relics

Silver Member
Feb 6, 2014
3,705
5,528
Lowcountry, South Carolina / Richmond, Virginia
🥇 Banner finds
4
Detector(s) used
CTX-3030, Deus XP II
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Hey lawman,

Trust that the minelab engineers knew what they were doing when they designed the stock coil. I personally use the 11in and have had awesome success. Don't over think the machine and like others have said, learn the tones, and ignore the screen.
 

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lawman0210

lawman0210

Sr. Member
Jan 6, 2007
286
30
Edgewood, MD
Detector(s) used
Garret ATI Pro, Ace 250 ATI Gold, Fisher F5
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I agree. The screen isn't much but a crude idea of possibilities. Not much room for error when pennies through quarters ring up 34-40
 

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lawman0210

lawman0210

Sr. Member
Jan 6, 2007
286
30
Edgewood, MD
Detector(s) used
Garret ATI Pro, Ace 250 ATI Gold, Fisher F5
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
A youtube video shows a video of a guy using a 15" coil and finding silver but not at any significant depth. I found pennies at 9 -10 inches within minutes with standard settings
 

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lawman0210

lawman0210

Sr. Member
Jan 6, 2007
286
30
Edgewood, MD
Detector(s) used
Garret ATI Pro, Ace 250 ATI Gold, Fisher F5
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Might look to trade one of my Nells or large 15" fisher for a minelab coil
Why do they say multiple frequencies MD are frustrating. I didn't seem to have a problem
 

OWK

Hero Member
Apr 26, 2014
998
1,291
North Central Md
Detector(s) used
Fisher F70, F75
Garrett Pinpointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Might look to trade one of my Nells or large 15" fisher for a minelab coil
Why do they say multiple frequencies MD are frustrating. I didn't seem to have a problem

Hiya Lawman.

I usually run a 12x10 DD on my Fisher F70.

Not sure I'd go any bigger than that unless I was relic hunting on a Civil War Battlefield.

Most times in fact, the smaller coil would be much much more useful than a bigger one. A bigger coil may buy you an inch or so of depth (but cost you quite a bit of separation in junky areas). A smaller coil will gain you quite a bit of separation, but cost you maybe an inch of depth.

I'm actually looking to buy a 5 inch coil for just that reason. Most of the places I hunt, have a least a significant subsection that is nail and junk infested.

Depth is important, but it isn't everything.

Given the two flavors of machine you've mentioned, the f70-F75 is a deeper machine class than the Minelab Safari, if you know how to listen to what its telling you.
 

ChampFerguson/TN

Bronze Member
Nov 22, 2013
1,181
1,620
TN
Detector(s) used
Minelab Safari .......... Minelab Excalibur II ....... ........Minelab CTX 3030
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
imo, a large coil's best advantage is areal coverage. You can really cover the ground faster with a big coil.

My main experience with FBS coil size is stock vs 17" CTX coils. The larger coil is worth MAYBE a couple of inches in SOME ground. Seems it likes rich, damp loamy soil and the beach for extra depth. But for most of my dirt hunting, I use the stock coil unless I see a reason to go large.
 

dirtscratcher

Bronze Member
Mar 18, 2009
1,877
1,350
Columbia falls Montana
Detector(s) used
Minelab Sov GT Explorer XS Tesoro Vaq t2se x705
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Might look to trade one of my Nells or large 15" fisher for a minelab coil
Why do they say multiple frequencies MD are frustrating. I didn't seem to have a problem

I took to my explorer right off also. Went to spots I'd been pounding with a beep and dig and started pulling old coins after a couple of long days and haven't looked back. You'll read alot of bs about fbs from those who don't know how to use them.
 

CoinandRelicMan

Silver Member
Apr 3, 2011
3,979
2,244
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
E-Trac, Safari, Cortes, Musketeer, Makro Pin-Pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I wholeheartedly recommend the CoilTek 12 x 8 as best all-around coil on Safari. For trashy areas get a Minelab FSB800 or a CoilTek 6 inch treasureseeker.
 

timelord

Sr. Member
Sep 1, 2014
263
466
Sheboygan WI
Detector(s) used
Minelab Safari
Fisher F5
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
It's will take you some time to learn the Safari, it did for me. One of the reasons is the Safari makes a lot of noises. I think of it this way, since the Safari runs in many frequencies some of the frequencies like the target but the others do not. So you will get a good tone but it will degrade into a bad tone. Being human and if your coming from a beep and dig detector before you want it to be a good target, but it's not. So give your detector time to tell you what it is, swing slow you will be rewarded.

I have found coins others have missed in parks that are 100 years old. For those parks I have discriminated everything from 29 down. Works great, give it a try but be forewarned that you will still dig bottle tops especially twist off tops but you will get the coins others have missed.
 

Hobojo

Sr. Member
Dec 9, 2013
344
275
South Orange County CA
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Compadre, Vaquero, Outlaw ,Cibola, Sand Shark,
Minelab Xterra 705, Minelab Safari.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
After much debate and searching , my wife has also chosen the Safari for her next MD.
We took it and my recently repaired and returned Xterra 705 to a nearby park , and wow what a really neat machine.
Im very impressed! Very simple to operate and a quality piece of technology. Working with the Xterra for the past few months has allowed me to assist her in her transition with the new machine. One aspect that I find improved over the Xterra 705 are the tones , they seem to be softer and finer in their sound quality. The ID numbers are closer also like 9,10,11 vs 8,10,12 on the 705. So far so good. Glad she went with the Safari over the At Pro.
 

dig deeper now

Sr. Member
Jul 10, 2013
340
381
fulltiming rv'er anywhere in the 48 states
Detector(s) used
Safari MINELAB, minelab pin pointer,lesche left sided teeth ,Lowe's short shovel,12'' sand scoop 5x9 in. 2900 battery
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Try to test everything metal, bury them at different depths and see and write down the depth. Listen for the tone they make you will be greatly surprised. Gold rings, copper ones, diamond ones all in zip lock bags to keep them clean. Keep trying you will like what you are doing.
 

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