Are 6" extra on a bazooka worth $30?

[OwenT]

I think I want a prospector. I feel like my sniper is holding me back. Either the 30" or the 36". I've seen a couple people recommend the 36" but is there an performance advantage?

 

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[Aufisher]

A longer slick plate will allow you to better sort the material if clay is present and has a larger surface area to shovel directly in the box. I know this because half my shovel load ends up missing the sluice so I got a 48" lol .Unless your putting the sluice in your backpack get a 36". Sounds like you already have the backpack model.

 

[OwenT]

Okay cool, yea I've already got a 24" sniper.

 

[OwenT]

Hey what about the big grizzlies. I know they're thicker and that's appealing but does the larger material flowing through affect fine gold recovery?

 

[Aufisher]

I went big as you can always add mesh and go smaller if needed. Works fine as-is in my neck of the woods.

 

[KevinInColorado]

I ran the 30" Prospector for a couple years (over 50 outings) and it was great. I do think I like my 36" better but I'm not sure why.

 

[NeoTokyo]

Another reason to consider the longer model is that it will be better for slower moving water because it is able to collect more water being wider at the front.
You will notice that they get wider the longer they are.

If you have fast water this also helps to make the choice of Large or small grizzlies easier because with more water that means you can keep the bed fluidized with larger material.

If the creeks that you prospect are normally slow then I would stick with the small grizzlies.

 

[utah mason]

I ordered the 30" prospector about 10 days ago after reading this I think I should have gone with 36". Order is still waiting to be fulfilled. I think I will call them first thing this morning and see if they will send 36" instead. After reading 3 or 4 years worth of post on the bazooka I thought I had it figured out what model to get. ; )

 

[KevinInColorado]

The upside of the shorter model is that you can get it steeper on a short drop in the creek...which sometimes is very helpful. Trade offs, always trade offs.

I'm sure you'll be thrilled either way!

 

[utah mason]

Emailed them this morning, super quick response. Ready to go out today. Im sure ill be happy with the 30". If i want to upgrade later im sure it would go quickly on any # of adds. Super excited to get it, its been like waiting for christmas. I knew it would be a week or to but that didnt stop me from loging in and checking status of order everyday. Ill post pics of first outing with it next weekend

 

[Aufisher]

Enjoy running a lot more material and more gold!

 

[utah mason]

Can't wait not to be hunched over classifier and bucket shaking and rinsing. It wears me out 10 times faster than shoveling.

 

[vaquero44]

as kevin stated before the 30" can run steeper and if you like to do small creeks like i do this would be better IMO plus you water flows to consider too

 

[goldenmojo]

I use a Supermini mostly instead of my prospector due to pack weight. It is short being only 24" and I have found an accurate shovel toss of material up the plate instead of just dropping it at the top will break up the material a little better. Each Bazooka can be adapted to flow and use needs but a couple of different sized ones makes it easier to zero in on absolute production.

 

[Goldwasher]

I use a Supermini mostly instead of my prospector due to pack weight. It is short being only 24" and I have found an accurate shovel toss of material up the plate instead of just dropping it at the top will break up the material a little better. Each Bazooka can be adapted to flow and use needs but a couple of different sized ones makes it easier to zero in on absolute production.

Hey Mojo I have your new 30" sniper in my truck right now......I might want to use it for some banker set up tests if you don't mind.....I'll break it in for ya!!!!!

 

[goldenmojo]

Please make sure that it catches gold and leave as much in te trap as you want when you pass it over.

 

[mytimetoshine]

Emailed them this morning, super quick response. Ready to go out today. Im sure ill be happy with the 30". If i want to upgrade later im sure it would go quickly on any # of adds. Super excited to get it, its been like waiting for christmas. I knew it would be a week or to but that didnt stop me from loging in and checking status of order everyday. Ill post pics of first outing with it next weekend

Yea it won't be hard to sell at all. I originally bought a combo deal they had for the prospector and the mini(smallest model).. I felt like the trap on the mini was not fluidizing so I decided to sell it on eBay. Sold for more then I paid for it... Minus some fees and shipping I got a really good resale value on it. Granted mine looked brand new and was only used a couple of times.

 

[CO2]

I think I want a prospector. . . . Either the 30" or the 36". I've seen a couple people recommend the 36" but is there an performance advantage?

I was wondering this exact thing. Is there a really big difference in water requirement or is it negligible? The Prospector 30" outperform the Sniper line better than the Prospector 36" outperforms the Prospector 30", doesn't it? My assumption is that the 30" captures flour gold nearly as efficiently as the 36"?

I decided to go ahead and order the Prospector 30" instead of the 36" not only because of the added versatility of the drop factor with the smaller model, but also because I'm typically going to the creek by myself and I'm definitely not interested in hiking right back to the car to get the rest of the gear. The Prospector 30" is pretty much the biggest BGT I will be able to fit out of the top of my frame pack (which is 26" deep) and it's light enough I can hike with it. I decided against the Sniper because with its width it can get clogged at times and you'll have to reach down and clear the rocks off the grizzlies. Well I'm not interested in bending over any more than I have to - that's a big part of why I'm getting a BGT in the first place. I'm also trying to make this purchase last so I ordered it big and heavy, and you can't get that on the Sniper models.

If you're like me, and you've putzed around with pan and a homemade sluice, and you know where to go to get your lunch paid for if you work it, and you've researched hours on buying a nice sluice, then the question isn't whether to buy a Keene or a Wolf Trap or Le Trap or a Bazooka, the question is which model of Bazooka to buy (the answer is complicated). Seeing as that I don't expect the BGT to pay itself off any time soon, I hope that the Prospector 30" will be versatile enough to dominate the high flow areas I'm already aware of as well as be able to produce effectively in low/mid flow streams I might encounter in my future journeys. If you can put a sluice in your backpack and the BGT Prospector 30" fits, then why not put a BGT Prospector 30" in your backpack?

 

[KevinInColorado]

Wow, well said CO2!

 

[goldog]

Or maybe a 36"...

Just kidding. Any Bazooka is a good Bazooka. Any Prospector... You'll love it. (I love mine 30").