I am curious....what machine does everyone use

ridger12

Jr. Member
Apr 4, 2005
86
32
Sandy Ridge Pa
Detector(s) used
Minlab e-trac
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I use a Whites V3i but I have always used Whites detectors. In the past I used Whites 5900, Spectrum Eagle, XLT and now the V3i. I had a Minelab Sovereign for a while but I just couldn't get used to it. It was a great detector and it had lots of potential but after using Whites for years that is what I'm comfortable with. I think most people start with a particular brand for whatever reason and just stick with that brand for the most part when upgrading.
 

joesdigs

Hero Member
Dec 20, 2012
593
249
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer XS
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
An explorer xs... Love it.. It's taken dogs abuse in muddy fields climbing over walls... Fences... Torrential rain and so much more... But it's like a good friend.. Will never let you down and can tell you right from wrong... I'm thinking about grabbing the 3030 soon but I'll keep my explorer for ever... Or until it dies! Whichever comes first.. I'd bet on for ever ;)
 

rockhound

Bronze Member
Apr 9, 2005
1,056
591
I don't think there is an ideal machine, so I have three. I use my Bounty Hunter for trashy areas, parks, playgrounds, etc. I use my Discovery Treasure Baron for deep coins and relics where trash is not real heavy. I also have an underwater unit for lakes, rivers and at the beach. All are VLF. good Luck. rockhound
 

tyrooney

Jr. Member
Dec 27, 2012
36
24
southern california
Detector(s) used
Minelab Safari, Garrett pro-pointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I used the Garrett Ace 250 until a couple weeks ago. It has paid for itself 4x. I just bought a Minelab Safari with some of that money but have not been able to use it until my arthritis improves.Why did I change? Not sure, human nature I guess, thinking I can do better although I think it has to do more with where we are hunting as much as anything.
 

bill from lachine

Gold Member
Oct 30, 2011
22,616
88,899
Quebec
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
squiggy1,

When I was using the Ace 250 about 5 years ago....I'd set it for jewelry mode.....sensitivity 4/6 range....you may want to use some of those plastic ties to secure the coil cable to keep it from flopping around and causing the machine to false....

Those settings were for urban green spaces....if you're doing relic hunting.....go with that mode.

Regards + HH

Bill


I also have the 250 and I am curios as to what setting you find most helpful..I am tired of digging all those nails
 

bill from lachine

Gold Member
Oct 30, 2011
22,616
88,899
Quebec
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Folks,

My every day machine is the Tesoro DeLeon.....single tone....pretty much a beep and dig machine....probably paid for itself many times over in clad, silver and gold finds....it's boring as heck but gets the job done for my style of detecting....

Got 3 or 4 other machines mostly gathering dust......stick with the machine that fits your style and you know inside out and I'll guarantee you'll make more finds than someone swinging the latest model and not knowing how to use it effectively.

Regards + HH

Bill
 

bill from lachine

Gold Member
Oct 30, 2011
22,616
88,899
Quebec
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Minesweeper,

working in tandem with your machine is sort of detectorists short hand for being one with your machine.....if you can understand all the ins and outs and the strengths and weaknesses of the unit.....you'll be very effective at finding keepers with pretty much any decent machine out there.....however, it takes a lot of field time for that to happen perhaps 100's or even 1000's of hours.

Regards + HH

Bill


what do you mean by "working in tandem" ? i'm a beginner thx
 

RGINN

Gold Member
Oct 16, 2007
8,636
10,844
Summit County, CO
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
White's DFX, White's Classic 1 Coinmaster, Nokta Pointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
White's DFX. The Hi-Pro program is a lot of racket and a lot of work sometimes, but I like it cause I tend to go off in places nobody would think to look.
 

Papaw55

Jr. Member
Jan 2, 2013
21
22
Arkansas
Detector(s) used
Bounty Hunter Commando
Cen Tech pinpointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
My Christmas present: Bounty Hunter Commando(camo). On my upgrade, I think I like the Tesoro vaquero, when I get to that day. Gotta use this for a while so my kids won't frown. Oh, a Harbor Freight pinpointer....will get a Garrett Pro soon. Anyone know much about the Commando?
 

birdman

Gold Member
Jan 28, 2005
7,458
2,393
Choctaw Beach Florida
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800 and ORX, tesoro Cibola with garret,whites and minelab pinpointers
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Etrac for coin/relic hunting , sovereign elite and excal for the beach and a cibola for deep woods hunting and Santa Clause got me a garret pro pin-pointer which rocks.
 

GPS53

Sr. Member
May 17, 2009
284
99
Mercer county, Pa
Detector(s) used
Whites, XLT & V3i, TRX Pointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Whites V3i and my backup is a Whites XLT. Garrett ProPointer, Lesche digger, and enough other stuff to fully equip both machines in case a friend wants to go along and try detecting.
 

TerryC

Gold Member
Jun 26, 2008
7,735
10,996
Yarnell, AZ
Detector(s) used
Ace 250 (2), Ace 300, Gold Bug 2, Tesoro Cortes, Garrett Sea Hunter, Whites TDI SL SE, Fisher Impulse 8, Minelab Monster 1000, Minelab CTX3030, Falcon MD20, Garrett Pro-pointer, Calvin Bunker digger.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
The GTA500 is my main coinshooter with the 250 as back-up. Gold Bug 2 in the gold fields and the GMT comes along "to watch". TTC
 

squiggy

Silver Member
Dec 14, 2012
2,785
934
CA
Detector(s) used
Ace 250..garret pro pointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
squiggy1,

When I was using the Ace 250 about 5 years ago....I'd set it for jewelry mode.....sensitivity 4/6 range....you may want to use some of those plastic ties to secure the coil cable to keep it from flopping around and causing the machine to false....

Those settings were for urban green spaces....if you're doing relic hunting.....go with that mode.

Regards + HH

Bill

Thanks Bill for the information , I really appreciate your help!!! I am new to this and love it....
 

Gunrunner61

Silver Member
Jan 12, 2011
2,963
457
Dalton,Ga.
Detector(s) used
Whites MXT, E Trac, Garrett Pro Pinpointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Well I started out with the whites Classic I, then by accident bought a Classic II,
Used them for a couple of years and Got a Whites MXT W/9.5, and a 5.3 coil a friend
gave me a Garretts Pro pinpointer just a few months ago, And last spring I bought a Garrett's ATPro. It's what you get used to, As said....Learn your machine.......HH
 

WoofWoof

Greenie
Apr 28, 2012
19
21
Gettysburg
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, Whites MXT Pro, Fisher F75 LTD
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
My primary is an Deus XP, but I also use my Whites MXT Pro. Most times I start with the MXT but then switch to the Deus when I get tired.
 

whammy

Sr. Member
Oct 23, 2012
495
390
Conquest New York
Detector(s) used
Whites Vision, DFX, Eagle Spectrum
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I use a Whites Vision, with a Whites DFX and an Eagle Spectrum for back ups.
 

Stormrider51

Jr. Member
Jul 21, 2010
97
60
Canyon Lake, TX
Detector(s) used
Minelab Vanquish 440
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
After many years of using Garrett products almost exclusively, I recently switched to a Minelab E-Trac. I love the darned thing. It has the Sun Ray probe attached.

Storm
 

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