Maiden voyage with new AT Pro - SILVER!!! & VIDEO

[ModernMiner]

Well Folks, after about 8 years of being a loyal Tesoro user I decided to see what all the hype was with the Garrett AT Pro. I still use my Vaquero, but wanted a machine I could use in the water too, and the AT Pro seemed like a wise choice.
I gained permission about a week ago to detect at an old (1920's) NC Mountain dairy farm on 20 acres. There were three old houses on this property at one time, but the houses, cows, and Old McDonald are long gone.
I've only been detecting there two times so far with the Vaquero last week, and pulled three Mercs so far with the oldest being a 1925, and about 15 wheat pennies.

This place has lots of targets including a bunch of junk (pull tabs, bottle caps, iron, foil, etc) where the houses once sat, so it was a great spot for me to become familiar with the AT Pro. I've never had or used a detector with a screen either, so this was all new to me. Of course I forgot to bring the new headphones that came with the machine too.
I must say, I am very impressed with the new machine and it was dead on with the target readings. I need more practice pinpointing with this coil, but it will come with more practice.

Here's a few videos I shot today:




Today's finds were:

*Large 28.5mm WW1 General Service eagle button - " Art Metal Works - Newark, NJ " back mark.

*Three Merc dimes - 1940, 43, 44.

*1940 Silver quarter

*14 Wheat pennies - 1919 thru 1951

*Assorted horse tack.

*One Black Snake

Thanks for looking Folks,
MM

 

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[g-olden years]

Super hunt, cool pics! Andi

 

[Colonial_New_England]

Great results for your first time with the machine... Here's what I say - when it comes to being a great, DEEP field/woods machine, the Vaquero is hard to beat, and let's face it - having ID #'s can often convince you NOT to dig something when you actually probably should... Not only that, but getting to learn good targets by the *quality* of the tone you get, ie soft tone vs sharp tone - just plain and simply makes you a better detectorist all around. It's amazing how much that machine can tell you with just one tone.

Fast forward to getting the AT - I actually really didn't like it at first... Thought it was too heavy, didn't like the tones, bad ergonomics, etc etc.... But that has changed. I now pretty much hunt with the Pro exclusively and I LOVE it. It's tones and VDI give you a wealth of information, once you start 'speaking its language'. My best friend and digging buddy also has a Vaquero, and so having seen them matched up side by side, I can also attest (not surprisingly) that you will dig more targets and less iron in trashy farm-style environments with the AT. And a few days ago I dug an Indian Head penny at a bonafide 11-12 inches in wet clay soil with the AT... so deep that it was actually registering no numbers on the VDI but still giving me a repeatable high tone... that's the kind of depth that I would only expect with the Vaquero or a much pricier machine, but I am now sold on the fact that the AT is also a DEEP machine...

My two recommends: if the weight of the AT and its stock coil give you a problem (made my wrist sore) - spend the $30 bucks or whatever it is and buy a 'Gizmo' armrest extension... A great improvement. Secondly, when you can afford to, by all means buy the 5x8" coil... In yards, trashy environments, and just all around it is a CHAMP and despite the smaller size still gets great depth. Go nice and slow with short, tight swings and you can pull high tones out of thick iron matrixes, like nails and scrap around old foundations. I took the 5x8 to the house where I had grown up and hit a section of lawn that I had gone over very carefully with a Bounty Hunter, a Delta 4000, and a Vaquero... First two targets? A gold ring and a Barber quarter... no kidding!

Good luck with the new machine - spend as much time with it as it takes to get to know it as well as you know your Vaquero and you will be VERY happy. I love it more every day and it just keeps delivering. Congrats on the great finds!

 

[Stan_the_Man]

I believe that's a WWI button I found one similar to yours yesterday (I have it posted) mine was a tight seal button made between 1917-1919 but the writing is different on the back

Sent from my iPhone using TreasureNet

 

[Colonial_New_England]

I believe that's a WWI button I found one similar to yours yesterday (I have it posted) mine was a tight seal button made between 1917-1919 but the writing is different on the back

Sent from my iPhone using TreasureNet

Stan, this is a Great Seal button, used between 1902-1945. I think this one with the striped background is a dress uniform variety - I could be mistaken....

 

[CMDiamonddawg]

Hi MM




have fun with that new one

 

[VOL1266-X]

MM, you took to that machine like a duck to water. Very nice outing. HH, Q.

 

[ModernMiner]

Great results for your first time with the machine... Here's what I say - when it comes to being a great, DEEP field/woods machine, the Vaquero is hard to beat, and let's face it - having ID #'s can often convince you NOT to dig something when you actually probably should... Not only that, but getting to learn good targets by the *quality* of the tone you get, ie soft tone vs sharp tone - just plain and simply makes you a better detectorist all around. It's amazing how much that machine can tell you with just one tone.

Fast forward to getting the AT - I actually really didn't like it at first... Thought it was too heavy, didn't like the tones, bad ergonomics, etc etc.... But that has changed. I now pretty much hunt with the Pro exclusively and I LOVE it. It's tones and VDI give you a wealth of information, once you start 'speaking its language'. My best friend and digging buddy also has a Vaquero, and so having seen them matched up side by side, I can also attest (not surprisingly) that you will dig more targets and less iron in trashy farm-style environments with the AT. And a few days ago I dug an Indian Head penny at a bonafide 11-12 inches in wet clay soil with the AT... so deep that it was actually registering no numbers on the VDI but still giving me a repeatable high tone... that's the kind of depth that I would only expect with the Vaquero or a much pricier machine, but I am now sold on the fact that the AT is also a DEEP machine...

My two recommends: if the weight of the AT and its stock coil give you a problem (made my wrist sore) - spend the $30 bucks or whatever it is and buy a 'Gizmo' armrest extension... A great improvement. Secondly, when you can afford to, by all means buy the 5x8" coil... In yards, trashy environments, and just all around it is a CHAMP and despite the smaller size still gets great depth. Go nice and slow with short, tight swings and you can pull high tones out of thick iron matrixes, like nails and scrap around old foundations. I took the 5x8 to the house where I had grown up and hit a section of lawn that I had gone over very carefully with a Bounty Hunter, a Delta 4000, and a Vaquero... First two targets? A gold ring and a Barber quarter... no kidding!

Good luck with the new machine - spend as much time with it as it takes to get to know it as well as you know your Vaquero and you will be VERY happy. I love it more every day and it just keeps delivering. Congrats on the great finds!

Colonial NE,
You couldn't have said it any better. I still love my Vaquero and my whole detecting "career" has been using machines that I have learned the tones. I started out with the Silver uMax for about 6 years and could ID the targets (iron, silver, nickels, deep, etc.) just with the single tone. I went back to my same spots again later with the Vaquero once I got it and was amazed at how much the ground balance really helped. I found a lot of targets I had missed with the Silver uMax including my oldest coin to date, a 1775 One reale.

As far as the AT Pro, I totally agree that is is a lot heavier than the Tesoros I've used. A friend of mine had also mentioned that the AT Pro was coil heavy and he was right. Thanks very much for the Gizmo info. I think I will invest in one of those. A smaller coil will come later too.
I do like my new AT Pro and will spend a lot of time getting to know it better. It has already proved itself to me on it's first time out. Can't wait to try it out in the water!
Thanks again for the great info,
MM

 

[ModernMiner]

Stan, this is a Great Seal button, used between 1902-1945. I think this one with the striped background is a dress uniform variety - I could be mistaken....

Thanks Guys.
It is one BIG button. I'll have to see if I can find out anything on the "Metal Works" back mark.
-MM-

 

[ModernMiner]

Hi MM




have fun with that new one

WHAT'S UP BIG DAWG!!!! Been a while since I posted. I miss my old detecting spots since we moved to the mountains last year. Not much in the way of CW action in this area, so I'm hitting old properties for now to satisfy my detecting urges.
Thanks for the reply Big Guy.
-Doug- (The other Dog)

 

[ModernMiner]

Super hunt, cool pics! Andi

Thanks Andi.
I wish I was back in Calif again.
-MM-

 

[Jarl]

Lately, I have been pinpointing with my AT using the pull away method. Not sure why I do it this way. I just get a hit, press pinpoint swiping left and right until the signal is strongest, then back the coil slowly until the noise drops off ... should be exactly at the tip of the coil at that moment. A lot of people do this but with the side of the coil, I don't for some reason...it just seems easier to me the way I do it. Nice finds by the way!!

 

[ModernMiner]

MM, you took to that machine like a duck to water. Very nice outing. HH, Q.

Thanks Q. You know me, I'll learn to use this new machine well. This dairy farm will be a great practice spot. Just wish the coins were older. The 1919 wheat has been the oldest so far. Hard to believe that's almost 100 yrs old now.
Once it cools down and all the bugs and snakes are gone I'll branch out into the woods.
-DUHg-

 

[ModernMiner]

Lately, I have been pinpointing with my AT using the pull away method. Not sure why I do it this way. I just get a hit, press pinpoint swiping left and right until the signal is strongest, then back the coil slowly until the noise drops off ... should be exactly at the tip of the coil at that moment. A lot of people do this but with the side of the coil, I don't for some reason...it just seems easier to me the way I do it. Nice finds by the way!!

Thanks Jarl,
I remember seeing that method in the video that came with the detector. I'll have to give it a try.
-MM-

 

[Thunderchild]

Doug, Awesome first finds. I have some plastic and tape left over if you want to "Mummify" the AT Pro. LOL!
LOL

 

[ModernMiner]

Doug, Awesome first finds. I have some plastic and tape left over if you want to "Mummify" the AT Pro. LOL!
LOL

LMAO!!! Thanks Glenn. I've wanted an AT Pro since I saw you plucking CW relics out of the ground left and right at the Union Camp.
I'll send you a picture of me in a thong once I take to the water with it. Would you like an 8 x 10 or poster size?
See ya again next time I come back that way.
-Doug-

 

[GioTheGreek]

I love the guys like you who post the video and pictures. Some of us just can't access YouTube from work.

Congrats on the new machine. Keep 'em coming.

 

[ModernMiner]

I love the guys like you who post the video and pictures. Some of us just can't access YouTube from work.

Congrats on the new machine. Keep 'em coming.

Thanks Gio. I'm like a caveman when it comes to technology but I finally figured out how to combine numerous videos into one.
I enjoy posts with videos too. It makes you feel like you were right there with the person.
-MM-

 

[Dman]

Those are some really nice finds. I love the silver. What did the snake read on your detector?
D

 

[Steve in PA]

Nice finds! Good start with the new machine. I'm sure as you get better with it, the Vaquero will be youR back up machine, and you will be going back to old sites and cleaning up with the AT Pro.