Beach Hunter 300

[Jack Straw]

Given the price increase and the lack of customer service with minelabs i cant justify the excal. What has been the overall take on the Whites Beach Hunter 300? I would love to hear of any personal experience with this machine before i take the plunge.

 

[DewGuru]

If that email is recent, then the turn around time has increased since the last time I heard which was maybe 6 or 7 weeks ago. There is something that I have noticed contributes to the repair time, people will sit on a detector with a problem during the winter, then when the hunting seasons starts geting close, they will decide to send the detector in for repair work. Repair time always increases as Spring rolls around....

Yep. That was as of today, Feb. 22 2011 @ 11:33am EST. I've been sittin on a detector myself to send off for a larger coil. I called them today, thankfully it's only a week turn time +/- 3 days from the shipping courier. Since they pay for shipping back, I cant bring myself to pay the extra for the expedited, lol. Have a cz20 as well to send in for the upgrade to a 21, have to call them as well in the AM see what the turn time on that may be.

 

[lacey333]

Common sense tells me the reason it takes minelab so damn long to get your equipment back to you, specifically the excals is because of the overwhelming amount of defective machines they sell! I bought a new BHID 300 a few months ago and haven't had a single problem with it and I did a depth comparison my stock machine to a stock excal II and he couldnt pick up a quater as deep as I could. so I'll stick with a machine that works great and I know if it breaks I will have it back in less than 2 weeks like new again!

HH!

Mike

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Common sense tells me the reason it takes minelab so damn long to get your equipment back to you, specifically the excals is because of the overwhelming amount of defective machines they sell! I bought a new BHID 300 a few months ago and haven't had a single problem with it and I did a depth comparison my stock machine to a stock excal II and he couldnt pick up a quater as deep as I could. so I'll stick with a machine that works great and I know if it breaks I will have it back in less than 2 weeks like new again!

HH!

Mike

Mike I have to argue your points. Yes they sell a lot of detectors, and yes some are bad, but very few people bother to post they got their detector and it works fine, only if it doesn't work.

Something a lot of people seem to overlook is there is only one repair center in the USA for Minelab repairs and only a few repair techs working there, Whites has 3 repair centers that I know of.....

As far as that quarter, I am pulling quarters up well over 12+ inches deep with either one of mine. Comparisons don't mean a lot on either side of the fence unless the setup and testing are done by the same person who is very familiar with both detectors.

I have been out hunting and seen owners of of Fishers, Excals and Beach Hunters swinging them like they are a sickle and they are cutting weeds with a 160 degree swinging arc.... They think they know their machines, but a swinging coil at a 45 degree angle 6 inches off the sand isn't going to find squat.........I let them just hunt away and as they are not hurting me......

I know my Excal will find what is there, I know how to set it, swing it so it does and I am missing very, very little when I hunt......

 

[lacey333]

Common sense tells me the reason it takes minelab so damn long to get your equipment back to you, specifically the excals is because of the overwhelming amount of defective machines they sell! I bought a new BHID 300 a few months ago and haven't had a single problem with it and I did a depth comparison my stock machine to a stock excal II and he couldnt pick up a quater as deep as I could. so I'll stick with a machine that works great and I know if it breaks I will have it back in less than 2 weeks like new again!

HH!

Mike

Mike I have to argue your points. Yes they sell a lot of detectors, and yes some are bad, but very few people bother to post they got their detector and it works fine, only if it doesn't work.

Something a lot of people seem to overlook is there is only one repair center in the USA for Minelab repairs and only a few repair techs working there, Whites has 3 repair centers that I know of.....

As far as that quarter, I am pulling quarters up well over 12+ inches deep with either one of mine. Comparisons don't mean a lot on either side of the fence unless the setup and testing are done by the same person who is very familiar with both detectors.

I have been out hunting and seen owners of of Fishers, Excals and Beach Hunters swinging them like they are a sickle and they are cutting weeds with a 160 degree swinging arc.... They think they know their machines, but a swinging coil at a 45 degree angle 6 inches off the sand isn't going to find squat.........I let them just hunt away and as they are not hurting me......

I know my Excal will find what is there, I know how to set it, swing it so it does and I am missing very, very little when I hunt......

That's great! As you should know your machines! I agree with you about the weed trimmers, I just laugh and walk right behind them and find everything they miss! lol I'm just tired of hearing excal owners bash white's and/or the BHID! Both companies make an excellent machine and neither is any better than the other! Take these 2 different machines in the hands of 2 experienced detectorists and the results will be the same!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Common sense tells me the reason it takes minelab so damn long to get your equipment back to you, specifically the excals is because of the overwhelming amount of defective machines they sell! I bought a new BHID 300 a few months ago and haven't had a single problem with it and I did a depth comparison my stock machine to a stock excal II and he couldnt pick up a quater as deep as I could. so I'll stick with a machine that works great and I know if it breaks I will have it back in less than 2 weeks like new again!

HH!

Mike

Mike I have to argue your points. Yes they sell a lot of detectors, and yes some are bad, but very few people bother to post they got their detector and it works fine, only if it doesn't work.

Something a lot of people seem to overlook is there is only one repair center in the USA for Minelab repairs and only a few repair techs working there, Whites has 3 repair centers that I know of.....

As far as that quarter, I am pulling quarters up well over 12+ inches deep with either one of mine. Comparisons don't mean a lot on either side of the fence unless the setup and testing are done by the same person who is very familiar with both detectors.

I have been out hunting and seen owners of of Fishers, Excals and Beach Hunters swinging them like they are a sickle and they are cutting weeds with a 160 degree swinging arc.... They think they know their machines, but a swinging coil at a 45 degree angle 6 inches off the sand isn't going to find squat.........I let them just hunt away and as they are not hurting me......

I know my Excal will find what is there, I know how to set it, swing it so it does and I am missing very, very little when I hunt......

That's great! As you should know your machines! I agree with you about the weed trimmers, I just laugh and walk right behind them and find everything they miss! lol I'm just tired of hearing excal owners bash white's and/or the BHID! Both companies make an excellent machine and neither is any better than the other! Take these 2 different machines in the hands of 2 experienced detectorists and the results will be the same!

Now I can't argue with that................

 

[Toymad]

I agree, both Whites and Minelab make very good machines, but I will only buy from a company that can support there customer base. I think Minelabs six to eight weeks for repairs is not supporting there customers. Whites has the best customer service I have ever experienced.

 

[lacey333]

I agree, both Whites and Minelab make very good machines, but I will only buy from a company that can support there customer base. I think Minelabs six to eight weeks for repairs is not supporting there customers. Whites has the best customer service I have ever experienced.

Amen to that brother! Allthough I have 2 white's machines, a DFX 300 and the BHID 300 I have never had an issue with either of them requiring service! Knock on wood! LOL It's nice to know it's there if ya need it though!

HH,

Mike

 

[tnt-k9]

I've had my BHID for a little over a year and have been extremely happy with it. I have taken it out almost every day since I'm only a 10 minute walk from the beach in a target rich environment. I wore out the arm cuff and upper rods which Whites' replaced without me having to send the whole unit or even the worn out parts to them. The leakage problem seemed to be fixed with the orange O ring and as far as the "floating" coil... This is the first water machine I have ever owned so I apparently don't know what I'm missing with a non-bouyant coil. It takes no effort to keep the coil down and it's almost nice that when it does get away from me it's bobbing up in the water for a fast recovery. Although it's not going far since Whites has a strap on it's arm cuff whereas with the Excal you don't get one unless you order an after market one from a different company.

 

[trainer]

"Minelab" will always keep you very busy while your out there detecting.. mentally,, you can look forward to.. coming home and try to figure out what to modify.. like the headphones which are not so good for the price you pay for the machine .. the knobs,, you can run to radio shack for those ..the pots going 360 degrees .. pinpoint trigger mod.. no indicator light for charging 17 hrs too chargecracks in wires which creates falsing and so on... Mine lab are you reading this!
Stop being so cheap and make a machine worth the money one pays. Only then you will have my attention to buy.
I keep constantly reading too many defects in,,, especially the water machines
The soveriegn seems to be the one with out many people complaining .. stick to that design and make it water proof or water resistant and I will bet that that design will have minelab trying to keep up with the demands
That tube technology has to go never did like it akward clumsy uncomfortable just gets in the way
with todays technology you can fit everything in a small box
How many of minelab owners would like a design like the soverign to be water proof??
I am the first to say sign me up I will buy

MINELAB ARE YOU READING THIS JUST PUT ONE DASH FOR YES TWO DOTS FOR NO I WILL NOT TELL ANYONE YOU WERE LISTENING

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

"Minelab" will always keep you very busy while your out there detecting.. mentally,, you can look forward to.. coming home and try to figure out what to modify.. like the headphones which are not so good for the price you pay for the machine .. the knobs,, you can run to radio shack for those ..the pots going 360 degrees .. pinpoint trigger mod.. no indicator light for charging 17 hrs too chargecracks in wires which creates falsing and so on... Mine lab are you reading this!
Stop being so cheap and make a machine worth the money one pays. Only then you will have my attention to buy.
I keep constantly reading too many defects in,,, especially the water machines
The soveriegn seems to be the one with out many people complaining .. stick to that design and make it water proof or water resistant and I will bet that that design will have minelab trying to keep up with the demands
That tube technology has to go never did like it akward clumsy uncomfortable just gets in the way
with todays technology you can fit everything in a small box
How many of minelab owners would like a design like the soverign to be water proof??
I am the first to say sign me up I will buy

MINELAB ARE YOU READING THIS JUST PUT ONE DASH FOR YES TWO DOTS FOR NO I WILL NOT TELL ANYONE YOU WERE LISTENING

The stock headphone on most manufactors water-machines leave a lot to be desired. The one that came on my BHID were no better than my Excal's, I have heard the same about the Tigershark. The stock AT PRO's are not water proof, you have to purchase a waterproof headphone, and I know there are many people who replace the headphones on the Infinium as well...

Pinpoint mod is a mod for a few, most of the experience owners do not use pinpoint so we do not need the pinpoint or a pinpoint mod, I never use the pinpoint when I am hunting, I have no need for it, I can pinpoint with the toe or heal of my coil with out any problem every single time, and this is with a WOT coil.... I don't use the pinpoint because I don't need it, most of the experience hunters I know who own an Excal don't use the pinpoint. I was taught to use the coil to pinpoint here on this forum, it was easy...

Personally I much prefer the Excal tube shape over a box shape, it is a lot easer to swing a tube underwater than to swing a box is, there is a lot more drag on the box shape underwater than a tube........

I love my Sov GT, but it's current box design would have too much drag trying to swing it underwater.... What owners love about the Sovereign is it's performance, it has nothing to do with it's shape.... If Minelab would install a Sov GT in the tube shape with all the current features of the Sovereign GT, I would buy a new one day one......