ANGEL with a credit card

[MichiganRob]

Hi all

A friend of mine who is a jeweler has taken an interest in my detecting. He has been impressed by my having found two gold rings and a few silver coins in my first month with a low end detector, my ACE250.

My friend has decided to set me up in a full time operation. I am flabbergasted but extremely grateful for a great opportunity.

I have a budget to purchase a high end detector, my Angel wants me to be able to get deeper in the dirt and pull some older silver coins and gold and silver jewelry out so I will be hunting Michigan with a vengance.

My budget for the detector is $1500.00. I am strongly inclined towards the Whites DFX300 with the free pinpointer for $1200.00.

I value your opinions and advice, so my question is this?

Do you think that my choice of the DFX300 is the right choice?

I will be hunting in West Michigan, in parks, old homesteads and the shores of Lake Michigan as well as the shores of numerous inland lakes, ponds and streams.

What do you think?

HH
MichiganRob
Treasure Hunter

 

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[MichiganRob]

Good advice, thank you

 

[thompy]

that would be allright but i would look at the f-75 or a xt-70 with the 10.5" DD 7.5 KHZ COIL, if your looking for something deeper

 

[muleskinner]

I shouldn't tell you this because I'm a western michigan hunter too, but if depth is what your after, Minelab is what you need. I read good stuff of the highend Fisher also.

 

[MichiganRob]

Thanks for the advice Thompy and muleskinner, I will try and stay out of your way muleskinner...lol

I looked at the high end fisher and said gee that's a great machine, then I looked at a Minelab SE and wow what a great machine, then I looked at a Garrett GTI 2500 and man o man what a machine, then the Whites DFX300 and yep you guessed it, what a great machine.

So, it appears that all the metal detector companies are making great deep seeking detectors, but I need to choose just one and I've got 4 or 5 good choices...I can't decide.

I like the look of the Whites is that what it comes down to? That Minelab SE has some awesome features and I own the Garrettt Ace250 and that's a great machine will the GTI2500 get me down deeper to the 1800's coins?

Can someone who uses a DFX300 please help me? What do you think of that machine.

Muleskinner does the Minelab really go that much deeper than the others?

Thanx y'all
MichiganRob

 

[mastereagle22]

For what it's worth, MINELAB! I really like my Explorer. I find very small targets very deep. It is killer on Silver and Wheat pennies!!! In the areas I hunt we don't have a lot of Indian Heads or other older coins but it is a good machine.

I have found a gold filled ring and a silver ring with the Explorer as well. It takes a little time to learn the machine but it is worth the effort!!!

It might be a little heavier than you're used to but a swing thing will help with that. Or lifting weights for a little while to condition your muscles will also work.

Good luck.

 

[Bridge End Farm]

I run a DFX and live in Florida so your Michigan soil is unfair/unknown to me.

To be honest if your after jewelry which it seems you and your sponsor are. You will find most of it in the water of swimming holes, beaches, etc. It gets wet and slips off so you really need a detector that you can get wet and is good on land too. Whites makes a BeachHunter ID that is basicly a water DFX but it doesn't have a LED display. It also doesn't go very deep for diving. I myself am looking into a good water machine and haven't decided on what yet. I like the Excal 2 minelab has, I like the Tigershark Tesoro has, and I like Fishers machine also. lol take in mind I dive in the 100 foot range.

The DFX is an excellent "dry" machine and I will take mine head to head with anyone's machine in discovery and depth. I run/used the tar out of mine, from the beaches of Florida and it's surf line, parks, clay pits, etc. But there are others also very good from Minelab, Fisher, Garrett and Tesoro. Tesoro carries a lifetime warranty on thier products. The ACE 250 you have is a fine machine.

I recommend your talk to some MDing shops there, hunters in your area like Muleskinner. They have the knowledge and know your conditions better than I. Also visit a local club, go to a hunt of theirs as they all have different machines being used by their members and you can see, listen and feel them. If you don't like the way it feels you won't like swinging it for a few hours.

What ever you buy you need to practice with it to get good at it. They all will speak to you and tell you what it is if you know what to listen for. I have used, tinkered and played with mine that I can tell pretty sure by the tone what it is before I dig. Still I feel no matter how much you spend on any machine you have to dig it up to know for sure what it is. I have found many things that I didn't think were what they were like getting a nickel reading and it be a ring. There are things like discrimination, sensitivity, etc that play important factors in where your hunting too. You get better with them as you practice and hunt more.

 

[sniffer]

I'm with BEF on this one, it really does depend on how well you know your machine. Anyone can buy a machine and get lucky, but the ones that find the good stuff consistently, know their machine forward and backward. JMO

Sniffer

 

[MichiganRob]

Thank you!!!

HH
MichiganRob

 

[Bridge End Farm]

I do know some MD shops rent detectors, I have no idea of a cost to do so. But that is an option also so you can see what you like and how it basicly performs.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I have to speak up here. What does he want out of it? Do you have to pay it back? what about the interest? What does he expect? Are you leading him on? MDing has never been a money making business. it is a hobby. If we happen to find something of value, great. Always remember, this IS A HOBBY. If he expects to make money quickly from your finds, he will probably be disappointed. If he likes you as a friend and only expects to break even some day in the future, or he doesnt care, than OK. Just my humble opinion.

Congrats on the rings. The Ace 250 is a good detector and has decent depth. I suggest buying the larger coil and the sniper coil for trashy areas.

 

[MichiganRob]

Yes, thank you bigcypresshunter. He has an interest in jewelry and coins and wants to encourage my advancement in the hobby. He doesn't have the time to hunt but he has the resources. I have the time and inclination but I don't have the resources.

We'd like to find some older coins at greater depth and some gold and silver jewelry maybe a cache or two. Nobody is expecting to get rich.

Thanx for your input

HH
MichiganRob

 

[MichiganRob]

Just a followup on my motivation. I lurked on this site for a long time before joining, I love the whole concept of treasure hunting, cache finding, bottle digging, etc. I used to spend hours reading posts all the way back. I saved my money and finally bought an ACE250

Since I got it on April 1st I have detected everyday, except today because it is raining here. I love it, it suits my personality to a tee. I work nights 5pm to midnight or later and so my mornings and afternoons are free, I grab my detector and out the door.

I don't have much of a life, don't make a lot of money and no more wife and kids, we are divorced and the kids are all adults. So for me as I am sure for a lot of you Metal detecxting brings me pleasure and peace, I love it. I would never be able to earn enough extra income to buy a high end detector myself so when my friend offered to set me up, he's a jeweler and I had shown him my two gold rings in one month he was interested.

If all I had was the ACE I could go right on detecting everyday but with a better machine I could make better finds, deeper and older, I would love to break into the 1800's, to hold a barber half in my hand that hadn't seen the light of day in a hundred years or an 1850's $5 gold coin. I love the hobby and have no illusions of riches and glory, but still I hold the hope of finding something valuable, I'm sure all of you do.

HH
MichiganRob

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Just a followup on my motivation. I lurked on this site for a long time before joining, I love the whole concept of treasure hunting, cache finding, bottle digging, etc. I used to spend hours reading posts all the way back. I saved my money and finally bought an ACE250

Since I got it on April 1st I have detected everyday, except today because it is raining here. I love it, it suits my personality to a tee. I work nights 5pm to midnight or later and so my mornings and afternoons are free, I grab my detector and out the door.

I don't have much of a life, don't make a lot of money and no more wife and kids, we are divorced and the kids are all adults. So for me as I am sure for a lot of you Metal detecxting brings me pleasure and peace, I love it. I would never be able to earn enough extra income to buy a high end detector myself so when my friend offered to set me up, he's a jeweler and I had shown him my two gold rings in one month he was interested.

If all I had was the ACE I could go right on detecting everyday but with a better machine I could make better finds, deeper and older, I would love to break into the 1800's, to hold a barber half in my hand that hadn't seen the light of day in a hundred years or an 1850's $5 gold coin. I love the hobby and have no illusions of riches and glory, but still I hold the hope of finding something valuable, I'm sure all of you do.

HH
MichiganRob

Im not so sure a more expensive unit will make that much of a difference. The Ace is a fine MD. Have you considered the larger coil if depth is all you are looking for? If older coins are there, the Ace can find them. Just my opinion.
Also i am glad you have found an interesting hobby and you seem to have made some nice finds already. I wish i could hunt with you. Remember it is not so much the machine but more in the user and the research.

 

[Pepper2004]

If your on the up and up with your friend....and he understands it might be quite awhile before you find any rings and coins of value. Then I say go for it. But as suggested above, I would have something in writing to protect you both.

If your near a dealership most will give demonstrations on their machines. That is why I chose the MXT over the DFX.

 

[Bridge End Farm]

If all I had was the ACE I could go right on detecting everyday but with a better machine I could make better finds, deeper and older, I would love to break into the 1800's, to hold a barber half in my hand that hadn't seen the light of day in a hundred years or an 1850's $5 gold coin. I love the hobby and have no illusions of riches and glory, but still I hold the hope of finding something valuable, I'm sure all of you do.

HH
MichiganRob

Im not so sure a more expensive unit will make that much of a difference. The Ace is a fine MD. Have you considered the larger coil if depth is all you are looking for? If older coins are there, the Ace can find them. Just my opinion.
Also i am glad you have found an interesting hobby and you seem to have made some nice finds already. I wish i could hunt with you. Remember it is not so much the machine but more in the user and the research.

Big C has brought up something I didn't mention about my DFX, I do have different coils (4 to be exact) to help it with situations (areas) I am in. You can purchase some great coils for your 250 to improve it's depth too. He is right on research being the key to success also.

 

[MichiganRob]

Thank you all for your kind responses, I will consider all that has been said and make my decision.

Tnet is a great forum and the people here are the best.

HH
MichiganRob

 

[Bridge End Farm]

Thank you all for your kind responses, I will consider all that has been said and make my decision.

Tnet is a great forum and the people here are the best.

HH
MichiganRob

Happy hunting to you too

If you are a Nam vet I also thank you for your service to our country, your sacrifices made my service life much easier in the next 4 events of Beruit, Gernada and both Gulf Wars

 

[George W]

I love my DFX!!! I'm 110% happy with it!! Get your self a 1400 DD coil and you will be all set!! George

 

[mthole]

My opinion,,,, Keep your ace, keep your finds. Keep it fun. I would feel too much pressure. I would be happy to buy a machine for a pro to use if I got to keep all finds. Go have fun, it's a hobby, not a job.