Hello all,I'm a retired LEO and looking for an outdoor hobby,I have many hobbies including model and diorama building,oil painting,woodworking,metal working,Native American crafts,coin collecting,oil lamp collecting and rebuilding,I have been wanting to do some metal detecting but don't know where to start,maybe I can get some good pointers here.
New kid
- Thread starter Bucwheat
- Start date
Mzjavert
Silver Member
- Oct 7, 2011
- 2,780
- 2,747
- Detector(s) used
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Bounty Hunter Mark IV
Garrett Ace 350
Garrett Carrot
- Primary Interest:
- Metal Detecting
With those hobbies I'm also guessing you lean toward being introverted. (Not to be mistaken for shy...but I digress.)
Covering the hobby in a few paragraphs is impossible. First rule is you will dig junk and lots of it.
Second rule dig enough holes and you will find something amazing. (Unless you have beginner's luck and find gold on your first target.)
The first question new people ask is, what machine is the best. Wrong question. You should ask what are the different types of metal detecting and how does each match me or where I live or regularly travel. IMO the three most popular types of hunters here are relic (civil war being a huge subset of relic hunters), beach and water hunters, coin shooters/jewelry hunters. I will say this...the guys in Europe make us Yanks look like amateurs when it comez to old stuff.
Amount of time you expect to hunt? Both how often and time per outting. This will play a role in how much you want to pay for a machine and iits weight. Even a few ounces add up on a ten hour day at the beach. But won't matter on short 30 minute hunts.
Get copies of all the catalogs from the major brands. All have decent machines. Avoid radio shack machines.
Don't get a machine with every bell and whistle as a first machine. You'll want a machine that you can learn without a degree.
Don't overlook used machines. ..lots get bought and then live in closets.
If you can go to an actual metal detecting shop, its worth the trip.
Read and ask questions here. Lots of people will help.
Covering the hobby in a few paragraphs is impossible. First rule is you will dig junk and lots of it.
Second rule dig enough holes and you will find something amazing. (Unless you have beginner's luck and find gold on your first target.)
The first question new people ask is, what machine is the best. Wrong question. You should ask what are the different types of metal detecting and how does each match me or where I live or regularly travel. IMO the three most popular types of hunters here are relic (civil war being a huge subset of relic hunters), beach and water hunters, coin shooters/jewelry hunters. I will say this...the guys in Europe make us Yanks look like amateurs when it comez to old stuff.
Amount of time you expect to hunt? Both how often and time per outting. This will play a role in how much you want to pay for a machine and iits weight. Even a few ounces add up on a ten hour day at the beach. But won't matter on short 30 minute hunts.
Get copies of all the catalogs from the major brands. All have decent machines. Avoid radio shack machines.
Don't get a machine with every bell and whistle as a first machine. You'll want a machine that you can learn without a degree.
Don't overlook used machines. ..lots get bought and then live in closets.
If you can go to an actual metal detecting shop, its worth the trip.
Read and ask questions here. Lots of people will help.
dsdigger
Bronze Member
- Jan 5, 2017
- 1,389
- 1,191
- Detector(s) used
- Minelab Equinox 600, Whites MX Sport, Whites Coinmaster, Minelab Explorer XS, Kellyco Vulcan 360, Lesche Digger, Rattler headphone, Park Ranger Bag by "Freeloader"
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
Welcome to the forum Mr. Bob! Think you'll find plenty of information here and a lot of informative and great people here. Sounds like you've lots of interests/hobbies and hopefully might just add another! Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
digging440yrs
Gold Member
- Dec 5, 2012
- 5,946
- 4,410
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1970 COMPASS-
WHITES SILVER EAGLE-
WHITES DFX, 4X6DD COIL, 6X8DD COIL, 950 COIL, 10X12SEF COIL-
GARRETT PRO POINTER AT, GARRETT AT PRO , MINELAB EXPLORER SE with 8.5x12.5 Cors coil
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
Welcome aboard 
against the wind
Gold Member
- Jul 27, 2015
- 24,797
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- 🏆 Honorable Mentions:
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- Detector(s) used
- E-trac, Excalibur, XP Deus, & CTX 3030.
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
Welcome to the forum from Port Allegheny, Pennsylvania.
Professor of Engineering
Gold Member
Welcome to the forum from Massachusetts!
Javadroid
Silver Member
- Jul 6, 2017
- 2,501
- 2,838
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- Detector(s) used
- Garrett AT Pro, Fisher F2
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
You are one very busy retired dude! 
Metal detecting is a great hobby for getting outdoors and getting the blood flowing... and occasionally the adrenaline too! Welcome to our community and hobby!
Metal detecting is a great hobby for getting outdoors and getting the blood flowing... and occasionally the adrenaline too! Welcome to our community and hobby!
Truth
Gold Member
I use to fish 4 days a week now I metal detect 6 days a week and my poles have dust on them. Not to mention my fishing buddies think I lost my mind. Mzjavert gave great advice.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
RustyGold
Gold Member
- Aug 16, 2013
- 9,372
- 10,901
- Detector(s) used
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XP Deus I & II
Xterra Pro
- Primary Interest:
- Other
Welcome to the forum from SoCal! My tip is to cover your holes and remove the trash finds.
Best of luck out there!
Best of luck out there!
Underwonder
Bronze Member
Yes...and any other trash in area. I always leave the place cleaner than I found it and have learned the art of plugs, side cloth for dirt, pops with a brass tool for surface finds. It is a pain to stop for all the trash and to carry it, but it makes us a more welcome site to our community....and it just feels right. Have fun and I look forward to hearing of your experiences!
Underwonder
Bronze Member
Oh...and Welcome from RI!
- Mar 19, 2012
- 6,746
- 1,073
- Detector(s) used
- CTX3030/F75LTD/ Garrett AtPro/ XP Deus
- Primary Interest:
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Welcome, here's some tips to get you started:
https://metaldetectingstuff.com/pages/new-to-the-hobby
Wayne
www.metaldetectingstuff.com
https://metaldetectingstuff.com/pages/new-to-the-hobby
Wayne
www.metaldetectingstuff.com
trdking
Gold Member
- Feb 28, 2015
- 5,139
- 7,923
- Detector(s) used
-
Minelab CTX 3030
AT Pro
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
Welcome from SoCal
My advice is to contact someone from the list near you and beg them to tag along. You can try a good detector and find one that suits you/get good starter tips.
You are in a great state for detecting. Might as well find that million dollar colonial.
Dig a hole fill a hole
pack out the trash (clean earth you know?)
Get tips hands on from hobbiers
Find lots of gold and silver coins
Thats all got got for now!
My advice is to contact someone from the list near you and beg them to tag along. You can try a good detector and find one that suits you/get good starter tips.
You are in a great state for detecting. Might as well find that million dollar colonial.
Dig a hole fill a hole
pack out the trash (clean earth you know?)
Get tips hands on from hobbiers
Find lots of gold and silver coins
Thats all got got for now!
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