Best Minelab for field hunting colonial items

[gwdigger]

I've seen the excal in action and know it goes deep. I've seen it get good targets that my DFX woudnt even signal on (I've used Whites detectors almost exclusively for over 20 years - the only thing I know)

But I have some money burning a hole in my pocket and I would like to try my luck on dozens of 17th century spots where I have done well with the DFX. It sounds like an adventure too.

What would be the best Minelab detector for exclusively field hunting? All I do is pre colonial and colonial hunting unless a newer site is on the same property.

Thanks for the input.

 

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[Woodland Detectors]

You cannot go wrong with an Explorer or Etrac.
I myself, am into the Colonial hunting and I use the Etrac with great success.

 

[oldbill]

I am not a Dealer but to me the X-Terra 705 with the coil change would be a great detector for this purpose!

 

[gwdigger]

Thanks much for the input. After a few days of research I think i have decided on the Explorer SE Pro. I know the DFX like the back of my hand and can tweak it well but my 17th century spots on the Chesapeake bay get flooded with salty water all the time and so it can be a challenge for the DFX to stay stable on some. This is where the minelab should do well. We will see.

I am sure the learning curve will be a challenge. I switched from PC to Mac. If I can do that I can do this.

 

[RPG]

Thanks much for the input. After a few days of research I think i have decided on the Explorer SE Pro. I know the DFX like the back of my hand and can tweak it well but my 17th century spots on the Chesapeake bay get flooded with salty water all the time and so it can be a challenge for the DFX to stay stable on some. This is where the minelab should do well. We will see.

I am sure the learning curve will be a challenge. I switched from PC to Mac. If I can do that I can do this.

Keep us posted. I too would like to own a minelab in the future. We have some very bad ground in Alabama.

 

[mainer]

I cant speak for the E-trac but if 4-h recommends it you can bet its a good machine. I have the explorer II and love it, I dont think you could go wrong with any of the explorers. I switched from a whites XLT it takes a little time but its all sounds you have to get use too, but in my opinion it was a lot easier to learn then the XLT. Best of luck.

 

[fmerg]

the explorer se pro is a great machine i use it in fields every day
most of the dimes i have found have been at 8 plus inches one 1/2 reale at about 14 inches

 

[gwdigger]

I cant speak for the E-trac but if 4-h recommends it you can bet its a good machine. I have the explorer II and love it, I dont think you could go wrong with any of the explorers. I switched from a whites XLT it takes a little time but its all sounds you have to get use too, but in my opinion it was a lot easier to learn then the XLT. Best of luck.

I've used whites top of the line detectors exclusively over the last 21 years starting with either the 89 eagle or the 90 eagle. Cant remember now. Anyway it was a slow and natural progression to go from the early eagles to the spectrums. I'm looking forward to the challenge.

 

[gwdigger]

the explorer se pro is a great machine i use it in fields every day
most of the dimes i have found have been at 8 plus inches one 1/2 reale at about 14 inches

I've watched my buddy find some crazy deep stuff that my DFX wouldn't even signal on. A 1773 Seville 4 reales is the one that sticks in my head. By the time he was done digging he was sitting in the hole. LOL.

 

[crazyman]

If you like the capabilities of the Excalibur why not go for the GT. Same BBS technology as the Excalibur but with additional features for land hunting. Every bit as deep as the Explorers. The Explorer is probably a better park hunter or in other areas where you want to be selective in your digging but this type of hunting is pretty much beep and dig so all the additional features on the Explorers is not really needed. If you go with larger coils the GT can be hip or chest mounted with much less arm fatigue.

 

[gwdigger]

If you like the capabilities of the Excalibur why not go for the GT. Same BBS technology as the Excalibur but with additional features for land hunting. Every bit as deep as the Explorers. The Explorer is probably a better park hunter or in other areas where you want to be selective in your digging but this type of hunting is pretty much beep and dig so all the additional features on the Explorers is not really needed. If you go with larger coils the GT can be hip or chest mounted with much less arm fatigue.

Thanks for the info. I already placed my order for the explorer. I guess since I have used whites eagles and spectrums for over 20 years I felt the screen and its placement was closer to what I am used to. I was going detecting tomorrow but I will just wait until the explorer arrives.

I am pretty excited! My DFX buddies are going to think I have flipped my noggin. I had planned on buying one years ago but the excalibur I tried was so heavy and awkward I decided it wasn't worth it. I've been so busy with work these last few years I missed how minelabs got as as light as the DFXs and have the arm straps etc.

I have dozens of really old sites that have never seen a minelab. Only DFXs.

 

[crazyman]

I'm sure you'll do just as good with the Explorer then. I was a dedicated Whites user for 25 years but after seeing the depth I was getting with the Sovereign in my hot mineralized ground and how well the iron mask worked in my iron infested sites I'm now a dedicated Minelab user. Good luck with the Explorer.

 

[Iron Patch]

If you like the capabilities of the Excalibur why not go for the GT. Same BBS technology as the Excalibur but with additional features for land hunting. Every bit as deep as the Explorers. The Explorer is probably a better park hunter or in other areas where you want to be selective in your digging but this type of hunting is pretty much beep and dig so all the additional features on the Explorers is not really needed. If you go with larger coils the GT can be hip or chest mounted with much less arm fatigue.

Thanks for the info. I already placed my order for the explorer. I guess since I have used whites eagles and spectrums for over 20 years I felt the screen and its placement was closer to what I am used to. I was going detecting tomorrow but I will just wait until the explorer arrives.

I am pretty excited! My DFX buddies are going to think I have flipped my noggin. I had planned on buying one years ago but the excalibur I tried was so heavy and awkward I decided it wasn't worth it. I've been so busy with work these last few years I missed how minelabs got as as light as the DFXs and have the arm straps etc.

I have dozens of really old sites that have never seen a minelab. Only DFXs.

Good choice! I hunt buttons in fields, most of the time in iron, and the explorer is a dream machine! (once you know it well) My only problem these days has not been the amount of buttons, it's what they are... almost all plain. The single best choice I have ever made in detecting was buying an explorer in 2000.

 

[Born2Dtect]

I have used the Explorer II in Eastern MD for about about 5 years. Best and oldest find cut cob real 1575-1625 best ID at 10" sitting in a little clay. Last next best find 1/2 real 1757, two months ago. Use no discrimination, hunt wide open (sensitivity) if the area lets you, use iron mask increasing until most iron is filtered out. Set DEEP on. This will get you deep and find anything you get your coil over.
I love anything silver and all finds dated 1899 or older. They really make your day.

Good Luck,

Ed D.

 

[gwdigger]

If you like the capabilities of the Excalibur why not go for the GT. Same BBS technology as the Excalibur but with additional features for land hunting. Every bit as deep as the Explorers. The Explorer is probably a better park hunter or in other areas where you want to be selective in your digging but this type of hunting is pretty much beep and dig so all the additional features on the Explorers is not really needed. If you go with larger coils the GT can be hip or chest mounted with much less arm fatigue.

Thanks for the info. I already placed my order for the explorer. I guess since I have used whites eagles and spectrums for over 20 years I felt the screen and its placement was closer to what I am used to. I was going detecting tomorrow but I will just wait until the explorer arrives.

I am pretty excited! My DFX buddies are going to think I have flipped my noggin. I had planned on buying one years ago but the excalibur I tried was so heavy and awkward I decided it wasn't worth it. I've been so busy with work these last few years I missed how minelabs got as as light as the DFXs and have the arm straps etc.

I have dozens of really old sites that have never seen a minelab. Only DFXs.

Good choice! I hunt buttons in fields, most of the time in iron, and the explorer is a dream machine! (once you know it well) My only problem these days has not been the amount of buttons, it's what they are... almost all plain. The single best choice I have ever made in detecting was buying an explorer in 2000.

I really like the decorative tombacs and hand etched picture buttons. Same with buckles but the buckles are mostly little pieces around here. Thats the best hunting I can imagine. At that point anything can surface. All this treasure talk gets be fired up.

 

[gwdigger]

I have used the Explorer II in Eastern MD for about about 5 years. Best and oldest find cut cob real 1575-1625 best ID at 10" sitting in a little clay. Last next best find 1/2 real 1757, two months ago. Use no discrimination, hunt wide open (sensitivity) if the area lets you, use iron mask increasing until most iron is filtered out. Set DEEP on. This will get you deep and find anything you get your coil over.
I love anything silver and all finds dated 1899 or older. They really make your day.

Good Luck,

Ed D.

Looking forward to trying it out next week. I may still go out tomorrow with the DFX. I have the fever right about now. Maybe we can hunt together sometime. I rarely make it west of Salisbury except for maybe Nanticoke. I've done really well there but the majority of the older sites are in Somerset.

 

[Iron Patch]

If you like the capabilities of the Excalibur why not go for the GT. Same BBS technology as the Excalibur but with additional features for land hunting. Every bit as deep as the Explorers. The Explorer is probably a better park hunter or in other areas where you want to be selective in your digging but this type of hunting is pretty much beep and dig so all the additional features on the Explorers is not really needed. If you go with larger coils the GT can be hip or chest mounted with much less arm fatigue.

Thanks for the info. I already placed my order for the explorer. I guess since I have used whites eagles and spectrums for over 20 years I felt the screen and its placement was closer to what I am used to. I was going detecting tomorrow but I will just wait until the explorer arrives.

I am pretty excited! My DFX buddies are going to think I have flipped my noggin. I had planned on buying one years ago but the excalibur I tried was so heavy and awkward I decided it wasn't worth it. I've been so busy with work these last few years I missed how minelabs got as as light as the DFXs and have the arm straps etc.

I have dozens of really old sites that have never seen a minelab. Only DFXs.

Good choice! I hunt buttons in fields, most of the time in iron, and the explorer is a dream machine! (once you know it well) My only problem these days has not been the amount of buttons, it's what they are... almost all plain. The single best choice I have ever made in detecting was buying an explorer in 2000.

I really like the decorative tombacs and hand etched picture buttons. Same with buckles but the buckles are mostly little pieces around here. Thats the best hunting I can imagine. At that point anything can surface. All this treasure talk gets be fired up.

Those real nice Tombacs are actually pretty scarce Colonial finds. I have found quite a few, but they are usually fairly poor condition. I do have an excellent large designed one, and two or three with animals. All were from very good sites.