Home depot metal detectors

TheGoldProspector

Hero Member
Apr 14, 2014
853
733
Gold Country - California
Detector(s) used
-Keene A52 - Fab2.5 Highbanker - GoldNSand Hand Dredge

Garrett AT Pro - Bazooka Gold Trap 30" Prospector - Garrett Ace 250 - Blue Bowl Concentrator
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
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signal

Hero Member
Apr 30, 2011
582
428
Royal Palm Beach, Fl
Detector(s) used
Minelab CTX-3030, Minelab Exalibur II, Garrett AT Pro
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
Curious: Home depot sells a lot of metal detectors.. How good is Bounty Hunter? Is there a certain model I should look at? I know minelab is quite well, HD sells a few of thise as well..

Thanks!

Bounty Hunter is the made by the same company as Teknetics I believe. They are decent machines but are marketed for "value", not the most durable, state of the art, bells and whistles etc. I have used the 505 and actually thought it did pretty good.

Minelab is one of the top names in the business.

I didn't even know HD sold metal detectors. I don't think I would buy one from them, just because there are so many shops that also sell those detectors and more, better to support them. They will likely give you as good as a deal, and you will get a lot more service/support if you should need any help.

My wife really isn't into metal detecting, but I wanted a backup machine and something she could use that wasn't a bad machine, and I got her the bounty hunter 505. It came with a small sniper coil in addition to the regular one. Its a pretty nice rig, and wasn't all that expensive. I have seen many on here with BH machines posting impressive finds, so it can do the job, and they have some machines that are almost identical to teknetics versions, but likely not made to the same standard (teknetics is considered a more premium line than BH).
 

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TheGoldProspector

TheGoldProspector

Hero Member
Apr 14, 2014
853
733
Gold Country - California
Detector(s) used
-Keene A52 - Fab2.5 Highbanker - GoldNSand Hand Dredge

Garrett AT Pro - Bazooka Gold Trap 30" Prospector - Garrett Ace 250 - Blue Bowl Concentrator
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Bounty Hunter is the made by the same company as Teknetics I believe. They are decent machines but are marketed for "value", not the most durable, state of the art, bells and whistles etc. I have used the 505 and actually thought it did pretty good. Minelab is one of the top names in the business. I didn't even know HD sold metal detectors. I don't think I would buy one from them, just because there are so many shops that also sell those detectors and more, better to support them. They will likely give you as good as a deal, and you will get a lot more service/support if you should need any help. My wife really isn't into metal detecting, but I wanted a backup machine and something she could use that wasn't a bad machine, and I got her the bounty hunter 505. It came with a small sniper coil in addition to the regular one. Its a pretty nice rig, and wasn't all that expensive. I have seen many on here with BH machines posting impressive finds, so it can do the job, and they have some machines that are almost identical to teknetics versions, but likely not made to the same standard (teknetics is considered a more premium line than BH).

Im looking to take it to the river, as to prospect to where to dig the Big paystreaks or hopefully Nuggets.. California motherlode gold mostly
 

dustytrails123

Bronze Member
Apr 14, 2012
1,012
412
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer Se Pro,Garrett At/Pro,Garrett Ace 350,Tesoro Cibola,Tesoro Outlaw,Bounty Hunter SharpShooter 2
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Im looking to take it to the river, as to prospect to where to dig the Big paystreaks or hopefully Nuggets.. California motherlode gold mostly
If your looking to prospect then your going to need a machine made for only that task look into a tesoro lobo super traq
 

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TheGoldProspector

TheGoldProspector

Hero Member
Apr 14, 2014
853
733
Gold Country - California
Detector(s) used
-Keene A52 - Fab2.5 Highbanker - GoldNSand Hand Dredge

Garrett AT Pro - Bazooka Gold Trap 30" Prospector - Garrett Ace 250 - Blue Bowl Concentrator
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
If your looking to prospect then your going to need a machine made for only that task look into a tesoro lobo super traq

A little pricey. :). Going to start saving
 

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,501
55,006
Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Takes special detectors to detect tiny pieces of gold like your looking for, entry level detectors want work..... Smart to save up and buy one designed to hunt for tiny gold nuggets rather than buy and be disappointed...
 

Prospector70

Hero Member
Nov 6, 2013
832
1,256
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Gold Trap 48", Keene A51 sluices and a
Number 2 Shovel baby!
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Yes, I have a cheaper detector (don't recall the brand) it won't even chirp on my little vial of gold but will chirp on my gold ring.
I've not figured out how to use it correctly, basically all I can tell is if there is a large piece of metal. I've found nothing of value with it so far, just trash. I had thought I could take it to the river and just detect a good spot to sluice at. But it turns out not so much.

I lent it to my friend and he found a bunch of (new) change and a folding knife when he went to the beach in Texas. Not too many beaches here in colorado, but I'm going up in the mountains next weekend and may take it for a swing or two looking for old timer's lost pocketchange. (I know where an old outhouse used to be, I'm going to try to dig it out (hope its all dirt by now lol)).
 

Dixiegal

Full Member
Jul 8, 2012
204
74
GA
Detector(s) used
White 808, White Sierra Made, pulse induction, LRL
Primary Interest:
Cache Hunting
Try Kellyco. They have a wide variety of metal detectors in all price ranges. We have purchased two from them and had good success and their tech dept is very good with follow up questions.
 

G.I.B.

Gold Member
Feb 23, 2007
7,187
8,537
North Central Florida
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
CTX 3030 / GTI 2500 / Infinium LS / Tesoro Sand Shark / 1 Garrett Pro-pointer / 1 Carrot / Vibra Probe 580 (out on loan) / Lesche M85 / Mark1 MOD1 EyeBall
Primary Interest:
Other
Talk to Bart's-

Best on the net and he is a great supporter of TN.

Get the right machine the first time. It will save you lot's of extended agony and doubt.
 

Metal Detecting Stuff

Supporting Vendor
Supporting Vendor
Mar 19, 2012
6,746
1,073
Spring TX
Detector(s) used
CTX3030/F75LTD/ Garrett AtPro/ XP Deus
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
A detector to find small gold will run you at least $500 plus. Large nuggets can be found with a basic detector, but pickers and sub gram gold require a higher frequency machine.

Wayne

www.metaldetectingstuff.com
 

goldenmojo

Bronze Member
Dec 9, 2013
1,867
4,756
N. California
Detector(s) used
Bazooka Prospector-Sniper-Supermini Thanks Todd & Chris, Goldhog Multisluice Thanks Doc, My Land Matters Thanks Claydiggins, 6 Senses
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Curious: Home depot sells a lot of metal detectors.. How good is Bounty Hunter? Is there a certain model I should look at? I know minelab is quite well, HD sells a few of thise as well..

Thanks!

NF bedrock is pretty hot. Not sure what detector you would need there.
 

trinityau

Full Member
Jan 20, 2010
239
797
Redding, Ca
Detector(s) used
Gold Bug Pro, GP 3000 modified
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Gold Bug Pro, between $500 and $600, waterproof up to the box, do not have to have headphones, will detect pieces of gold that will take 6 to 7 pieces to make a grain. TRINITYAU/RAYMILLS SPECK1.jpg
 

2cmorau

Bronze Member
Nov 8, 2010
1,608
1,294
Camptonville, CA
Detector(s) used
GMT&GM3 Whites MXT Pro, Shadow X5, Fisher 1280, OMG and the TDI
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
sweet trinityau, i have had the same results using a GMT with shooter coil, but i highly recommend using head phones JMHO
 

TheHarleyMan2

Bronze Member
Feb 27, 2008
1,594
464
Never Know I May Live Next To You!
Detector(s) used
GTI 2500/Bounty Hunter
Minelab Equinox 800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I didn't even know HD sold metal detectors.

I didn't know they did either until I went to Home Depot the other day and walking down a isle looking for something and they moved stuff around and found out they have an automotive section now! WTH? I guess next they will be selling groceries to compete with Wal Mart! They have just about the same amount of registers, (figuratively speaking), and only 2 people running them!
 

luvsdux

Bronze Member
May 16, 2007
1,767
690
Lewiston, Idaho
Detector(s) used
Multiple Tesoros and Whites
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
A few comments after reading through the thread. Any decent detector should sound off on a gold ring or other jewelry of any size. There are several detector models that do a pretty good job of all around including nugget hunting, but they still aren't quite in the class of any of the detectors specially designed to prospect. If one is really into the notion of prospecting, a dedicated gold machine is definitely the way to go as they'll respond to smaller pieces at fair depths that the general run of the mill detectors won't respond to well or even at all. All the main detector manufacturers offer machines in this category, but new ones can be fairly expensive right on up to "oh Boy".
luvsdux
 

clv

Hero Member
Dec 23, 2012
714
1,101
santee, ca
Detector(s) used
Current Detectors; Minelab Safari, Equinox 600
TRX Pin Pointer, Fisher 1235x
Have owned; Minelab Eureka gold,
Tesoro Compadre, White's MX5, GMT, MXT Pro,
fisher cz7a pro, go fine 20, Garret Ma
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Support your local metal detector / treasure hunting shop, the price usually includes some training on how to use the machine, and help to select the right unit for the type of hunting you want to do.
Buying by price alone is the worst way to shop for anything and will lead to disappointment and sending more in the end.
 

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