Advice on salt water beach and shallow water detectors

Rscardino10 · Jun 1, 2016

Hey everyone, I'm looking to purchase a new detector to hunt the beaches of North Carolina/ outer banks. Would like it to be water proof and great in the sand. I have heard so many different thoughts on what detector to get.. Some saying AT PRO is great some saying stay away, some saying go for a PI ect. I will mainly be hunting on the beach / water but may occasionally go further inland. With a price range of under 700 what do you think is my best bet for what I want to do? Thanks!

slider66 · Jun 1, 2016

Watch craigslist or ebay and get a used Excal II

adamBomb · Jun 1, 2016

There is a machine that will do well at the beaches and on land but that is the CTX and is way above your budget. Your best best is to find a used CZ21 or Excalibur. Even those used might be above your budget especially in the summer when demand is much higher. You can get a PI unit but you will be digging a lot as our beaches are pretty trashy. You might be able to find a used Whites BHID that could do the job too. The AT Pro will not work on our beaches unless you in the dry sand only.

Additionally, you could look for a machine that is not waterproof but will work on the beaches and on land - MInelab Etrac and Fisher CZ3D. These will do great on the sand and on land but they are not waterproof. You can probably find a used CZ3D for like $500.

Treasure_Hunter · Jun 1, 2016

Rscardino10 said:
Hey everyone, I'm looking to purchase a new detector to hunt the beaches of North Carolina/ outer banks. Would like it to be water proof and great in the sand. I have heard so many different thoughts on what detector to get.. Some saying AT PRO is great some saying stay away, some saying go for a PI ect. I will mainly be hunting on the beach / water but may occasionally go further inland. With a price range of under 700 what do you think is my best bet for what I want to do? Thanks!

Best advice I can give you is add $250 to your budget and buy a used Minelab Excalibur.....

DeepseekerADS · Jun 1, 2016

Tesoro Tiger Shark ~ $632. But uses concentric coil.

Treasure_Hunter · Jun 1, 2016

Tiger Shark is fresh water detector...

Terry Soloman · Jun 1, 2016

Tesoro Sand Shark PI - best value on the market today for the saltwater hunter! :occasion14:

penzfan · Jun 1, 2016

Used Excalibur. I've purchased both of mine for under your $700 price line. Patience is the key...

Rscardino10 · Jun 2, 2016

I do like the CZ3D and believe it would do a good job on the beach for coins and jewelry which is what I really want. as for it being waterproof, I do not want to submerge it fully but am looking something I can use in a few feet of water. Is the coil safe to put in the water, obviously the box is not.

adamBomb · Jun 2, 2016

Rscardino10 said:
I do like the CZ3D and believe it would do a good job on the beach for coins and jewelry which is what I really want. as for it being waterproof, I do not want to submerge it fully but am looking something I can use in a few feet of water. Is the coil safe to put in the water, obviously the box is not.

Unless its 100% waterproof, I wouldnt take it near the water. One fall and its done. Search the forums and you will see it happening to people. But you can easily search the waters edge.

If I were getting a CZ3D, it would be this machine hands down: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/treasure-related-stuff-sale/504317-tom-dankowski-tuned-cz3d.html

I would jump on this sale asap if you are interested because the Tom D machines go fast.

ScubaDetector · Jun 2, 2016

Some say an At-Pro works with chatter and some say it doesn't. Here is an honest opinion. A PI is a GREAT deep machine. However if you don't want to dig countless bobby pins and pieces of iron I would stay clear of it. At least for your first machine for the beaches. I think you really have three choices in your price range. All are great for salt and fresh water and discriminate.

A Minelab Excalibur
A Fisher CZ-20 or CZ-21
A Whites BHID

ALL three are great fresh and salt water machines and nobody with an Excalibur can prove to me it is deeper than my CZ-21. A Whites BHID is a waterproof version of the DFX.

I don't have an agenda. I don't shove what I use down anyone's throat. And I have a lot of experience with fresh water and some salt water hunting.

REMEMBER, a machine is not the only thing you need to buy. A good scoop will set you back over a hundred, a wet suit, booties and finds pouch are needed.

Depending on your comfort with the water a PFD might also be desired. NO shame in being safe. My website has some useful information if you are interested. http://www.scubadetector.com

Be safe and good luck

cudamark · Jun 2, 2016

Terry Soloman said:
Tesoro Sand Shark PI - best value on the market today for the saltwater hunter!

True, if you're in the water where there isn't much trash. It's miserable in a park, and not all that much fun in the dry sand either if you have fire rings or iron targets as bad as my beaches.

GibH · Jun 2, 2016

Listen to what's been said. Right now on my local craigslist are an Excal 800 /with scoop, a CZ-21, and a Beachhunter ID for $600 each. You can usually find a better deal on the BHID for around $450.

slider66 · Jun 2, 2016

GibH said:
Listen to what's been said. Right now on my local craigslist are an Excal 800 /with scoop and a CZ-21 for $600 each.

Your correct and the best place to buy! Even it it needs to be serviced or mods done in my humble opinion [emoji3]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

adamBomb · Jun 2, 2016

ScubaDetector said:
Some say an At-Pro works with chatter and some say it doesn't. Here is an honest opinion. A PI is a GREAT deep machine. However if you don't want to dig countless bobby pins and pieces of iron I would stay clear of it. At least for your first machine for the beaches. I think you really have three choices in your price range. All are great for salt and fresh water and discriminate.

A Minelab Excalibur
A Fisher CZ-20 or CZ-21
A Whites BHID

AT Pro doesn't work well on the wet beach around me in NC. I have talked to countless guys with AT Pros who came here for their week vacation and were stuck on the dry sand.

The 3 machines listed would definitely be on the top of my radar but if you dont need waterproof I would really jump on that CZ3D as its been tuned by tom D

Willee · Jun 2, 2016

The CZ-20/21 is equal to the Excalibur.
I have had them both and never was able to find a target with one that the other could not detect also.

A CZ3D will work and you can chest mount he control box and wrap it in a couple zip lock bags to keep the spray and splash off it.
It will work about as well as the CZ-20/21 in waste deep water or less.

If you get out and use it you will most likely find enough gold to get want ever detector you want by the end of the summer.

Willee · Jun 2, 2016

adamBomb said:
AT Pro doesn't work well on the wet beach around me in NC. I have talked to countless guys with AT Pros who came here for their week vacation and were stuck on the dry sand.
(snip)

There is one area here on Mustang Island (South of Packery channel) in front of a condo that the AT Pro will go nuts even in the dry sand.
Totally unusable no matter what setting.
Have no idea what is causing it.
My E-Trac and CZ-5 have no problems detecting that area.

Sandman · Jun 2, 2016

Those that say the AT Pro works at their beach don't realize not all beaches are the same. They bought into Garrett's false advertising that it is all terrain. Well it is but with poor performance. Sort like saying a magnet finds metal. :laughing7:

shinythings1 · Jun 2, 2016

I'm fairly new to the hobby... I tried the CZ21 and I didn't care for the weight of it... mounted on my hip or not.... I wound up with a used excalibur II... I'm still very much learning it... but I've done ok, but I dont think I'm doing as well as I can... I have a lot to learn. I found that I like the threshold versus just the quiet that the CZ had... I bought mine used for 750... I put a CF straight shaft from plugger on it, and I plan to do the headphones and pinpoint mods very soon. I also have an AT Pro that I use for land. We use it on the beach when my wife comes with me... it gets some chatter but it finds things....

I am learning to love the Excalibur... I think I want the CTX3030 for the bells and whistles but I'm very much learning that they are all very similar... Find one that you like and works for you... For me between the CZ and Excalibur it came down to comfort... Yeah I'll spend more to mod it, but I'll be comfortable.

adamBomb · Jun 2, 2016

shinythings1 said:
I'm fairly new to the hobby... I tried the CZ21 and I didn't care for the weight of it... mounted on my hip or not.... I wound up with a used excalibur II... I'm still very much learning it... but I've done ok, but I dont think I'm doing as well as I can... I have a lot to learn. I found that I like the threshold versus just the quiet that the CZ had... I bought mine used for 750... I put a CF straight shaft from plugger on it, and I plan to do the headphones and pinpoint mods very soon. I also have an AT Pro that I use for land. We use it on the beach when my wife comes with me... it gets some chatter but it finds things....

I am learning to love the Excalibur... I think I want the CTX3030 for the bells and whistles but I'm very much learning that they are all very similar... Find one that you like and works for you... For me between the CZ and Excalibur it came down to comfort... Yeah I'll spend more to mod it, but I'll be comfortable.

I dont get how you can say you didnt like the CZ because of the weight and then went ahead and got another machine that is nearly the same weight

I have both an excal and CZ21 and each tire me out after 1-2 hours on the stock shaft. I had to mod each to be comfortable.