Sluice recommendations Keene A51 vs Angus Mckirk?

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I am new to panning this fall and want to try sluicing in some of the streams in New Hampshire. The sluices have to be less than 36 inches in the National Forest.
In reading on the net I am leaning towards either the Keene A51 or one of the Mckirks, Recon or Grub Stake (or similar) I have heard that the Mckirks are finicky to set up.
For a total beginner what would people's recommendations be? I would like to start with something that is forgiving.

If I could hide the bills from my wife I would be tempted to get both and see which I like better and give the other one to one of my sons.

 

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[Ben Cartwright SASS]

In reading the forum here I am leaning towards the Mckirk Recon or the Long Tom or the Grub Stake

 

[63bkpkr]

Hello Ben Cartwright SASS,
What a fine hobby you are about to take on, especially if you purchase both units as you've hinted at! First, Hello I'm 63bkpkr/Herb and its good to type to you and I own an A 52 that I've added a californiasluice.com Highbanker to. I've used the A 52 on rivers in California and have several comments concerning it. First ALL sluices have 'best methods of operation' including the A52 as well as any of the McKirks. For either you need just enough water to go over the riffles, do not bury the sluice in the water all the way up to its sides, this will keep it from working properly. The A 52 needs more water flow than the McKirk though too much water for either and you will loose gold and maybe especially with the McKirk. Any of the McKirks are lighter than the A 52 then again I can and have dropped my A 52 and it just gets a bit rough while the McKirks are well made but theay are plastic so a bit more care is required with them. The
A 52 is carpeted as that helps to hold stuff as well as some expanded metal inserts do as well and of course the heavies hang in behind the metal riffles. ANY sluice is a bit delicate to pull back out of the water as now it has water in it as well as stuff you do not want to loose so holding it properly to not have the water empty the sluice as when you stumble while walking the sluice back to dry land, yes this happens. I mounted an additional cross bar on my A 52 and that along with the built in handle help so much for the lift up out of the water as well as the carry. I've found gold with the A 52 but the cleanups, when you do them, are a bit of a hastle as they barely fit into a 5 gallon bucket and then if one is not careful you can split the bucket with the metal edges of the sluice. Tip, do not use a standard 5 gallon bucket buy one just a bit different in shape than the round 5 gallon bucket and then the sluice will go all the way to the bottom of it. Oh, be sure you have the bucket about half filled with water so it does not tip over on you as it will if it does not have some weight in it.

On Tnet back in the September/October Sluicing files of 2010 you will find several 'help' posts I made as well as the wonderful responses I received, even a video of what it looks like when a sluice is setup properly (the water makes crisscrossing X's as it goes down the sluice) lots of good pictures and comments.

I hope some of this random stuff is found to be of some use to you and I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors.......63bkpkr

This photo is the gold I found using the A 52 along with my GMT, about a quarter ounce, the first season I used a sluice.

 

[Caminochaos]

Ive used both. I like the AM. Quick clean ups. Ive attached a classifier to it(which you should see in one of these threads). It takes less water to use. You do have to clean it more often but its quick and less cons to pan.

 

[spillercanyon]

Hey Ben,

Just my two bits. The Keene sluice (or any sluice with the metal riffles) are a bit more forgiving when setting them up. If by chance they get kicked, hit with a shovel or knocked around in any way (yes it does happen), the Keene sluice would be more likely to hold it's heavy materials. Also the Keene doesn't have to be set up as well as the McKirk, the large riffles will hold the heavy material where as the small riffles on the McKirk will lose material easily if not set up correctly. The advantages of the McKirk are the easy clean-up, light weight and it's abilities to hold fine gold. I own both and use both. As a beginner, either will work, there's a learning curve you will have to get over regardless of which sluice you choose, the main idea is get out there and find some yellow. That being said, if I was just starting out prospecting, I'd probably get the Keene.

 

[Joel1316]

The A52 was my first sluice and it is great! More foregiving than drop riffles in my opinion. Then I tried the AM Foreman. Its a great sluice, but it does get plugged very easily. Make sure to classify down to at least 1/4"...