bazooka gold trap

[cmatue1]

Have any of you tried the bazooka gold traps? If so, how did it compare to the standard riffled box?

 

[DynoGuy]

I have just started to use a sluice for gold recovery and started with a foldable Kleen A52 clone that I could pack in (I had to modify this to keep it straight when is use as it wanted to dip were it would fold, I just drill some extra holes with some bolts & wing nuts to hold it together). I went out with someone else who had a BGT 48" Prospector & a Mini. Way easier to use the BGT's as far as clean outs go ( just dump out into a bucket or your pan and get back to moving material). now the problem with the BGT"s are the amount of water flow needed, with any sluice the small you go the less water you need but the more classifying needed. I have a 30" Prospector that I can shove directly into with out classifying while the Super Mini I have works better with some classifying unless I go really slowly with a hand trowel.

 

[cmatue1]

I got a folding sluice also. I also had to add extra wing nuts and bolts to keep it flat

 

[DizzyDigger]

Just do a search for "Bazooka", and you'll find a load
of threads about the sluice. Lots of members here
use them with great success..

 

[DynoGuy]

Yea i just get nervous when cleaning out the carpets on that one, that'll I might loose the riffle hold down nuts. I think i might keep the folder and convert it to a portable highbanker. So far for me its just easer to use the BGT's. I just got to rearrange my backpack to be able to hike it in for better weight distribution (i amusing a full size military backpack which can fit a couple of 5gal buckets in the main compartment).

 

[ALewis]

I'm a huge fan of the BGT's....
They are very worth the $. I know it's been said, but not classifyin & then cleanout in a bucket save's so much time. Only drawback is how tiring it can get shovelin all day.
The other Huge benefit for me was the setup n river. I was very worried about drop & level w/ my first riffle sluice, not nearly so much w/ BGT style.



dynoG...I have a somewhat similar setup, usually have 1-2 5 gal buckets. The sluice will fit inside a bucket, inside the pack, but as you say, weight was a little off, too top-heavy. I've started puttin the sluice on the outside w/ a bungee, have since made attach points on ea. side....sticks out back a lil, but works pretty well for me

 

[Prospector70]

Well, with the bazooka Prospector you get more of a deep shovel workout, feel it for days. Does require more water (generally means you have to build a bigger wing-dam or get it out in the flow more) Great stuff.

With the standard sluices you can get away with less water, can see the gold right there on the assayer's matting (the part I miss). Requires classifying which reduces your tool's run time (less material through the sluice). Requires less water. Also Great Stuff

Depending on your need and style. Both of 'em will get you nice gold.
Happy Hunting!

 

[Aufisher]

The Bazooka will eat more gravel than I can shovel. It will catch fine gold and big ones too. Get one.

 

[Rdg Sluicer]

I have just started to use a sluice for gold recovery and started with a foldable Kleen A52 clone that I could pack in (I had to modify this to keep it straight when is use as it wanted to dip were it would fold, I just drill some extra holes with some bolts & wing nuts to hold it together). I went out with someone else who had a BGT 48" Prospector & a Mini. Way easier to use the BGT's as far as clean outs go ( just dump out into a bucket or your pan and get back to moving material). now the problem with the BGT"s are the amount of water flow needed, with any sluice the small you go the less water you need but the more classifying needed. I have a 30" Prospector that I can shove directly into with out classifying while the Super Mini I have works better with some classifying unless I go really slowly with a hand trowel.

I have a super mini and a prospector as well and that is pretty much what I have found also. The super mini works much better if you classify to at least 1/2 inch. For really slow water I use an Angus McKirk explorer. And my wife thinks I have too many sluices.... smh

 

[bearclaw]

As I type this the top three posts are about BGT so I would say they are pretty popular. I ordered the super mini (crossing fingers its here in time for the weekend) after a lot of research and eventually plan to move to the prospector. I am moving from a Keene A51. The main reason being the clean ups. I don't know why but I couldn't taking that thing apart cleaning the carpet, picking out the rocks stuck in the assay mat (didn't mind when it was gold!). I also intend to do some backpacking with it into more remote areas and its size and weight are better suited. Unfortunately with the super mini I will still need to classify but I have to anyways so its not a big deal. I can't wait for it to get here and get some hands on experience with one!

 

[DynoGuy]

Alewis, here is my backpack set up that I readjusted to haul both my BGTs (30" Prospector & Super Mini).


I haven't took it out in the field just wore it around the shop since it was raining cats & dogs outside, It took a couple of tries to get the weight distribution better. My usual load that'll go into this is the 2 BGT's, a 2-3 5gal buckets, 2 pans, 2 classifiers, a pair of short & long rubber gloves, mini military style folding shovel, waders (hip or chest), machete/saw combo, rock hammer, rain ponco, gortex rain pants, 50' 3/8" rope, 50' para cord, couple of extra boot laces (they work great to tie stuff down to the pack also), water purifier (MSR pump), folding mini camp stove w/sterno can, water proof matches & a flint fire striker, sm cooking pot, tin cup, freeze dried food (depends on length of trip +1 day), some snack bars and of course a first aid kit. Depending on where and when I go, I may stay in the back of my 4dr Jeep, take a bivy tent or just under the rain ponco set up as a rain fly.

 

[tweeta_bear]

Alewis, here is my backpack set up that I readjusted to haul both my BGTs (30" Prospector & Super Mini).
<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=928561"/>
<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=928562"/>
I haven't took it out in the field just wore it around the shop since it was raining cats & dogs outside, It took a couple of tries to get the weight distribution better. My usual load that'll go into this is the 2 BGT's, a 2-3 5gal buckets, 2 pans, 2 classifiers, a pair of short & long rubber gloves, mini military style folding shovel, waders (hip or chest), machete/saw combo, rock hammer, rain ponco, gortex rain pants, 50' 3/8" rope, 50' para cord, couple of extra boot laces (they work great to tie stuff down to the pack also), water purifier (MSR pump), folding mini camp stove w/sterno can, water proof matches & a flint fire striker, sm cooking pot, tin cup, freeze dried food (depends on length of trip +1 day), some snack bars and of course a first aid kit. Depending on where and when I go, I may stay in the back of my 4dr Jeep, take a bivy tent or just under the rain ponco set up as a rain fly.

wouldnt it just be easier to get a mule... lol

 

[tweeta_bear]

the past few times ive been out i have cleaned out my BGT into a five gallon bucket, reset up the BGT and then run what i just cleaned out of it back through, it helps get rid of a lil nore lighter material plus it gives me an idea of what ive collected, its really cool to see all that gold on the deck at one time!

 

[DynoGuy]

wouldnt it just be easier to get a mule... lol

Tweeta like you have room to talk by the look of your avatra. Lol

 

[tweeta_bear]

Tweeta like you have room to talk by the look of your avatra. Lol

lmao you wanna see something funny? check this out... its coincidence but im in it for life! back to your original comment... i wish i could fit that much in my back pack... are your buckets collapsable? just kidding

 

[DynoGuy]

Ya seen that in the other thread you posted.

 

[Rdg Sluicer]

the past few times ive been out i have cleaned out my BGT into a five gallon bucket, reset up the BGT and then run what i just cleaned out of it back through, it helps get rid of a lil nore lighter material plus it gives me an idea of what ive collected, its really cool to see all that gold on the deck at one time!

I was thinking about this the other day. Since I always build a dam I could set the Super Mini & the Prospector up a few feet apart. After I clean out the Prospector I could have one of my kids run it through the Super Mini while I keep working.

 

[DynoGuy]

I was thinking about this the other day. Since I always build a dam I could set the Super Mini & the Prospector up a few feet apart. After I clean out the Prospector I could have one of my kids run it through the Super Mini while I keep working.

Rdg, I thought about this also just haven't tried it yet. I have noticed that the last time out I started to just emptied out the BGT 30" right into my pan instead of using a bucket (I would only do about half of the cons that were in the trap at a time), it seemed that most of all the gold & black sands were always in the first pan I ran while the second had very little of either, not sure what that means just thought that was odd. Still if you have the help to run the 2 at the same time it might help but not sure if it would help to reduce the cons later.

 

[preshrunkmilk]

I just like to add that the longer between clean outs the less lighter materiel you will have. I only do one clean up now because i use a pan to sample and I have used the bgt so much I know they will not loose gold. I have had cleanups where it is just black sand and heavies. Also in my experiences most of the time any gold fity mesh and larger you can see going into the trap.

 

[tweeta_bear]

i have been reading alot about guys who line up their BGT sluices. i cant see this. the small sluice in front of the big one... why bother and if you put the smaller one after the bigger one dont it get covered with the tailings from the big one? id like to see this setup in action if any one has video!