Edwardo911
Greenie
Hi, I am trying to figure out the current, best detector for under $400?
EdwarDallas
DFW Metal Detecting Group on Facebook
EdwarDallas
DFW Metal Detecting Group on Facebook
Best detector for under $400?
- Thread starter Edwardo911
- Start date
kcm
Gold Member
Depends on a number of things. First, what are you going to be looking for? In the Dallas area, I'd say probably coins and jewelry mostly. However, you might want to travel and look for relics? Nuggets? There are no beaches near Dallas, so am assuming you want a dry-land unit for now. Does it need to be water resistant or will you not be out in the rain? If in the rain on occasion, will a rain cover be sufficient for you?
Next question is, what kind of person are you? Some people here like the new-fangled detectors with digital displays, multi-tones or both. I happen to be an old fart who likes to keep things simple, so I have a Tesoro with no display and single tone.
A VERY AWESOME detector just slightly above your price range would be the Tesoro Vaquero. This is a legendary detector with a VERY long history!! You might want to try a Fisher F44 @ $350. This one you can hunt in the rain all day long without worry - just don't drop it into a water hole. Oh, Tesoro machines have a lifetime warranty. Some other machines have very good warranties also.
There are many others, but in the end only you can make the best choice - all we can do is offer possible suggestions.
Regardless of which detector you go with, do not expect to be able to turn it on and be proficient from the get-go. It will take many hours of use before you really start to reach the potential for your machine.
Happy Hunting!
PS - Don't forget to consider the possibility of a used machine. You can often find good machines with little wear for MUCH less than retail, often due to the owner wanting to upgrade. The downside is there may be no warranty.
Next question is, what kind of person are you? Some people here like the new-fangled detectors with digital displays, multi-tones or both. I happen to be an old fart who likes to keep things simple, so I have a Tesoro with no display and single tone.
A VERY AWESOME detector just slightly above your price range would be the Tesoro Vaquero. This is a legendary detector with a VERY long history!! You might want to try a Fisher F44 @ $350. This one you can hunt in the rain all day long without worry - just don't drop it into a water hole. Oh, Tesoro machines have a lifetime warranty. Some other machines have very good warranties also.
There are many others, but in the end only you can make the best choice - all we can do is offer possible suggestions.
Regardless of which detector you go with, do not expect to be able to turn it on and be proficient from the get-go. It will take many hours of use before you really start to reach the potential for your machine.
Happy Hunting!
PS - Don't forget to consider the possibility of a used machine. You can often find good machines with little wear for MUCH less than retail, often due to the owner wanting to upgrade. The downside is there may be no warranty.
Last edited:
Fletch88
Silver Member
- Mar 7, 2013
- 4,841
- 2,367
- Detector(s) used
-
Garrett ATPro- 8.5x11, 5x8, CORS Fotune 5.5x9.5
Tesoro Silver microMax- 8 donut, 8x11 RSD, 3x18 Cleansweep
Minelab Excalibur ll- 10" Tornado
Minelab CTX 3030
Minelab Xterra 305
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
I bought an M6 with a Dx-1 probe and all kinds of accessories for $450. It is a very solid machine IMO. The MX-5 I like even more and Whites warranties are transferable.
Captain Caveman
Silver Member
- May 14, 2015
- 2,513
- 2,234
- Detector(s) used
- Fisher F75SE, F44, F2 and CZ-20. Minelab E-TRAC and Go-Find 60. Tesoro Tejon. BH Quick Silver.
- Primary Interest:
- Other
Fisher F44. (JMHO)
- Apr 21, 2015
- 62
- 47
- Detector(s) used
- Minelab Safari, Garrett Sea Hunter Mark II, Garrett AT Pro, Nokta FORS CoRe/Relic/Gold.
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
What kind of detecting are you wanting to get into? You have a nice selection for the price range you are looking for!
adamBomb
Hero Member
- May 30, 2014
- 645
- 551
- Detector(s) used
-
Nox 700;
Past: Nox 600; CTX; CZ21; Excal II; White's DF;
920i Stealth Scoop
- Primary Interest:
- Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
where will you be detecting? what environments? for what? do you need waterproof?
mikedurant
Tenderfoot
- May 24, 2016
- 5
- 0
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
Great information.
James/Texas
Jr. Member
Fisher F44. Weatherproof! Great all around detector! Give it some thought!!
Scott2373
Greenie
- Apr 29, 2016
- 14
- 8
- Detector(s) used
- Whites Treasure Pro
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
I researched this a LOT and decided on the Whites Treasure Pro. It's not weatherproof, but it is weather resistant, so that should be fine for Dallas. Contact a forum sponsor and you could probably save enough to get a Pinpointer as well. I talked to Jerry from Antiques Detectors and he hooked me up with a FANTASTIC deal!
- May 28, 2010
- 19,433
- 30,134
- 🥇 Banner finds
- 1
- 🏆 Honorable Mentions:
- 1
- Detector(s) used
- Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
- Primary Interest:
- Metal Detecting
Gosh, that's too bad Scott. On the bright side, at least you have an entry level detector now.
Get yourself a Tesoro Cibola. $361.00, Lifetime Warranty, Deep, Light, Easy to use, Made in Arizona by Americans. Best of luck and Big Gold to You!
Get yourself a Tesoro Cibola. $361.00, Lifetime Warranty, Deep, Light, Easy to use, Made in Arizona by Americans. Best of luck and Big Gold to You!
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Scott2373
Greenie
- Apr 29, 2016
- 14
- 8
- Detector(s) used
- Whites Treasure Pro
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
Gosh, that's too bad Scott. On the bright side, at least you have an entry level detector now.
Get yourself a Tesoro Cibola. $361.00, Lifetime Warranty, Deep, Light, Easy to use, Made in Arizona by Americans. Best of luck and Big Gold to You!
I'm all about bells and whistles. Tesoro didn't do it for me.
against the wind
Gold Member
- Jul 27, 2015
- 24,797
- 24,977
- 🏆 Honorable Mentions:
- 1
- Detector(s) used
- E-trac, Excalibur, XP Deus, & CTX 3030.
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
I purchased a new Etrac that was only used 3 times and it proved to be too much of a learning curve. I got it from a forum member for $850. That is $750 off the MSRP. Now I don't think anyone should pay MSRP, but my purchase proved that good deals can be had if you are willing to ask questions, let people know that you're in the market for a detector, and you take time to shop around.
Good luck.
Good luck.
- May 28, 2010
- 19,433
- 30,134
- 🥇 Banner finds
- 1
- 🏆 Honorable Mentions:
- 1
- Detector(s) used
- Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
- Primary Interest:
- Metal Detecting
GA_Boy
Bronze Member
- Jul 30, 2006
- 1,433
- 1,579
- Detector(s) used
-
BH LRP
1265X,
GoldBug II
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
LRP is $404.00 at Kellyco and probably at other supporters.
Marvin
Marvin
scotter1
Full Member
- Mar 16, 2014
- 182
- 155
- Detector(s) used
- whites dfx,xlt,idx,prism,tm 808,fisher gold bug,1280x,xp deuse
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
whites dfx or xlt greatt all around.dfx is dual frequencie and xlt is single.both great machines
RustyGold
Gold Member
- Aug 16, 2013
- 9,372
- 10,901
- Detector(s) used
-
XP Deus I & II
Xterra Pro
- Primary Interest:
- Other
Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro! Great detector for around $280. Made in USA 5 year warranty.
GA_Boy
Bronze Member
- Jul 30, 2006
- 1,433
- 1,579
- Detector(s) used
-
BH LRP
1265X,
GoldBug II
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
Another choice would be the lighter Fisher F44 and a little cheaper, but you made a good choice.
Marvin
PS, OTOH, I would prefer a Tesoro Compadre TYPE detector with the BH Land Ranger Pro's different TONES. Not sure if anyone make that. I am accustomed to having NO display.
Marvin
PS, OTOH, I would prefer a Tesoro Compadre TYPE detector with the BH Land Ranger Pro's different TONES. Not sure if anyone make that. I am accustomed to having NO display.
Last edited:
- Apr 18, 2016
- 5,300
- 11,756
- 🥇 Banner finds
- 2
- Detector(s) used
- XP DEUS II ,XP DEUS, EQUINOX 800, EXCALIBUR II,
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
You could have put another hundred with it and got at pro 500.00 shipped I used one and found many relics and coins with it before I upgraded solid machine just bought my son in law one.waterproof and tough simple to use good detector.
Hi,
About 30-35 years ago I was involved with Metal Locating and actually had a small Fisher dealership. But I think the technology was not advanced enough and a lot of people became frustrated spending most of their time either digging trash or trying to get the machine controls set So I left and just a few days ago was reintroduced to thrill metal detecting. I was amazed how far the technology has come. I was considering the Bounty Hinter Land Ranger Pro for about $280 but the person I was talking to urged me to stretch my budget and go for the Minelab x-terra 705 which is about $600.
I've spent most of my career in technology and have been amazed at how quickly things advance. I was watching a program about the space program and they said you hold in your iPhone more computing power than we used to land a man on the moon.
So I wanted to ask two questions. What is the best detector for around $400. Is the Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro a good choice or are there others I should be considering?
2,. It has been recommended that I stretch and get a Minelab x-terra 705 for $600. However the thing that bothers me about that model is that it was introduced in 2009. So at this point the technology it is using is 7 years old. Is that old technology, has it been surpassed with something else that might even be less expensive. The Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro was introduced in 2014 so the technology it is using is only 2 years old and they advertise it as there model using new technology. New is not always better but i was wondering what users experiences here were. Thanks in advance for your help.
All the best,
Ted
About 30-35 years ago I was involved with Metal Locating and actually had a small Fisher dealership. But I think the technology was not advanced enough and a lot of people became frustrated spending most of their time either digging trash or trying to get the machine controls set So I left and just a few days ago was reintroduced to thrill metal detecting. I was amazed how far the technology has come. I was considering the Bounty Hinter Land Ranger Pro for about $280 but the person I was talking to urged me to stretch my budget and go for the Minelab x-terra 705 which is about $600.
I've spent most of my career in technology and have been amazed at how quickly things advance. I was watching a program about the space program and they said you hold in your iPhone more computing power than we used to land a man on the moon.
So I wanted to ask two questions. What is the best detector for around $400. Is the Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro a good choice or are there others I should be considering?
2,. It has been recommended that I stretch and get a Minelab x-terra 705 for $600. However the thing that bothers me about that model is that it was introduced in 2009. So at this point the technology it is using is 7 years old. Is that old technology, has it been surpassed with something else that might even be less expensive. The Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro was introduced in 2014 so the technology it is using is only 2 years old and they advertise it as there model using new technology. New is not always better but i was wondering what users experiences here were. Thanks in advance for your help.
All the best,
Ted
kcm
Gold Member
Wow! Ted, you sure do pack a loaded question!!
Well, it's like this - technology HAS improved, and greatly. However, detectors can only go to a certain depth. The newer technology has been in trying to find technology that more accurately tells you what's in the ground before you dig - whether trash or not. For more money, can get a machine that tells you the type of coin as well. On ALL detectors, gold and aluminum are going to come in about the same. A lot of price difference is going to deal with warranty - 1 year vs. 5 yrs. vs. lifetime. Probably the best inexpensive detectors on the market are the old-technology Tesoro detectors. Almost none of the Tesoro's have any display whatsoever. I think one model has multi-tones. Also, they are 100% analog rather than digital. The best Tesoro on the market can see into the soil about as god as the best digital machine costing thousands. So why do so many people go with digital? Because they have this belief that newer MUST be better. And in some cases, it truly is. Some folks just aren't "wired" for using a single-tone, no-display detector. Other people (like me) aren't "wired" for technology that has to work harder than necessary.
Wait, work harder than necessary? Yes. Every detector out there creates an analog signal. Every one! The digital models, however, then change that signal into a digital signal, THEN try to process that signal by means of a digital display and/or multi-tones. What the older technology has that newer technology doesn't is that once you've gotten used to "listening" to your detector and understanding it's language, analog detectors have many more nuances within a single tone than high-priced digital detectors costing many times more. There are people that are VERY fluent in the language of their detector that can tell with better accuracy what is in the ground, even though they have no display or multi-tones. But it takes practice - LOTS and LOTS of practice!
Your older Minelab is going to be a good machine. I don't know how it compares with current Minelab's or other makes/models, but it will still do the job it was built to do - find metal.
That's about all I can tell you....and even these words aren't the voice of "MY" experience, sadly. But these are the words that have been repeated over and over and over, not just on Tnet but also many other MDing sites. Therefore, I trust this post to be true - though not necessarily all-inclusive.
....And also, the deeper a target is in the ground, the more difficult it will be for ANY detector to tell just what the target is! ...Kinda like when you get old and the vision isn't so good anymore - up close you may see just fine, but things get more fuzzy the farther out you hold it.
Well, it's like this - technology HAS improved, and greatly. However, detectors can only go to a certain depth. The newer technology has been in trying to find technology that more accurately tells you what's in the ground before you dig - whether trash or not. For more money, can get a machine that tells you the type of coin as well. On ALL detectors, gold and aluminum are going to come in about the same. A lot of price difference is going to deal with warranty - 1 year vs. 5 yrs. vs. lifetime. Probably the best inexpensive detectors on the market are the old-technology Tesoro detectors. Almost none of the Tesoro's have any display whatsoever. I think one model has multi-tones. Also, they are 100% analog rather than digital. The best Tesoro on the market can see into the soil about as god as the best digital machine costing thousands. So why do so many people go with digital? Because they have this belief that newer MUST be better. And in some cases, it truly is. Some folks just aren't "wired" for using a single-tone, no-display detector. Other people (like me) aren't "wired" for technology that has to work harder than necessary.
Wait, work harder than necessary? Yes. Every detector out there creates an analog signal. Every one! The digital models, however, then change that signal into a digital signal, THEN try to process that signal by means of a digital display and/or multi-tones. What the older technology has that newer technology doesn't is that once you've gotten used to "listening" to your detector and understanding it's language, analog detectors have many more nuances within a single tone than high-priced digital detectors costing many times more. There are people that are VERY fluent in the language of their detector that can tell with better accuracy what is in the ground, even though they have no display or multi-tones. But it takes practice - LOTS and LOTS of practice!
Your older Minelab is going to be a good machine. I don't know how it compares with current Minelab's or other makes/models, but it will still do the job it was built to do - find metal.
That's about all I can tell you....and even these words aren't the voice of "MY" experience, sadly. But these are the words that have been repeated over and over and over, not just on Tnet but also many other MDing sites. Therefore, I trust this post to be true - though not necessarily all-inclusive.
....And also, the deeper a target is in the ground, the more difficult it will be for ANY detector to tell just what the target is! ...Kinda like when you get old and the vision isn't so good anymore - up close you may see just fine, but things get more fuzzy the farther out you hold it.
