Bounty Hunter 505, any good?

[Sandman]

I received a PM from a couple members lately asking if the BH 505 was any good. I told them what I thought and could use input from members.

Thanks guys & gals.
Sandman

 

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[Coinstriking Michigan]

I wouldn't know as I would honestly not consider a Bounty Hunter. I have used the Time Ranger which was apparently their flag ship and I wasn't impressed. They seem very cheaply constructed just like the F2 and F4.

 

[Coinstriking Michigan]

I think most of the time when Bounty Hunters get good reviews it's from people who just started detecting and they get pumped up from finding a clad dime at 2 inches. Same thing with the Garrett Ace 250...former Bounty Hunter users that think it's the best detector made because they are use to their BH'ers.

 

[G.A.P.metal]

I never used a BH 505 but i did sell BH in the 90s and have a Big Bud in the cellar in the shape of a U, cuz i wraped it around a tree.
Gary G.A.P.metal

 

[U.K. Brian]

Its a pretty good detector in its price range and the build quality is not that bad. The detector review site gave it 4.4 stars out of 5 and out of five or six pages of reviews there was only really one negative review.

If you can't afford several hundred dollars than you have to make the best of what you can get in your price range. Choice that has to be made is if its better to get an older high range detector secondhand that could have a fault or be clapped out or go low range thats new with a full warranty.

 

[jibb]

Its a pretty good detector in its price range and the build quality is not that bad. The detector review site gave it 4.4 stars out of 5 and out of five or six pages of reviews there was only really one negative review.

If you can't afford several hundred dollars than you have to make the best of what you can get in your price range. Choice that has to be made is if its better to get an older high range detector secondhand that could have a fault or be clapped out or go low range thats new with a full warranty.

I agree with this. Ive had my 505 for about 2 weeks and I am happy with it but at the same time I'm wondering if I'm missing out. Its really the best I could afford so no choice but still wonder. I have been out 4 times ...twice to the same school yard and I'm finding lots of clad...about 12$ worth so far and some other interesting odds and ends. A couple of wheat cents. Most seem to be 4-6 inches down but a few have been all of 8 inches. I'm still learning the detector so I'm digging a lot of pop tabs and such but the display is reading correctly. If it says quarter its quarter every time. Sometimes dimes and penny's jump back and forth. The depth seems really on the money as well. I would love to take a better detector over same area just to see though if I'm getting most of what I sweep my coil over. But for 200$ I'm not complaining one bit. Oh and the ground balance seems a little tricky to get just right but I'm still learning it and its getting better.

 

[U.K. Brian]

Ground balance and sweeping the coil directly over the target are essential for all detectors to I.D. correctly. Don't worry about pull tabs. If you decide to discriminate them out in any way then your missing good stuff, especially rings.

On a weak in ground target practise your sweep speed. A fraction quicker or slower can make a lot of difference. Also with bouncing signals make a mental note of the readings then dig and see if the higher or lower reading is the most accurate. Some detectors will give a more accurate I.D. if swept over a target from one specific direction.

As with all detectors use the minimum of discrimination you can live with. Keep it low and you will outperform detectors at two or three times the price using higher levels.

 

[jibb]

Ground balance and sweeping the coil directly over the target are essential for all detectors to I.D. correctly. Don't worry about pull tabs. If you decide to discriminate them out in any way then your missing good stuff, especially rings.

On a weak in ground target practise your sweep speed. A fraction quicker or slower can make a lot of difference. Also with bouncing signals make a mental note of the readings then dig and see if the higher or lower reading is the most accurate. Some detectors will give a more accurate I.D. if swept over a target from one specific direction.

As with all detectors use the minimum of discrimination you can live with. Keep it low and you will outperform detectors at two or three times the price using higher levels.

I'm going to try these tips and see how it goes. Anything to get better I'm all for.

 

[signal]

I have a Garrett AT Pro and got the 505 as a BOGO deal on Kellyco. It was not free, I still had to pay like $180 or so for the package. It came with the 8" and 4" coil.

After using my AT Pro for a while, it has broke, and I am sending it off for repair. So I switched to the 505. I found more coins today, than I have ever found hunting with the AT Pro. But I must be fair and say I tried a different beach than I usually do, so it may be the beach.

The unit balances good on dry sand, I didn't try it much on the wet sand, as it was a bit noisy there. I use the DISC mode right where they recommend. I turned sensitivity all the way up on the dry sand. When I would hit a target, I switch to ALL METALS mode which is a really good pinpointing mode, worked super. I didn't dig anything real deep, maybe 6-8". I would say this works really good.

Biggest difference is the AT pro has a bigger coil. I am thinking about getting the 11" DD for the Bounty Hunter, but I am not sure how well it works, I would assume it to cover more ground.

Recover time on the AT pro is faster as well, one of its strengths.

 

[Hot zone]

Sounds like it works fine to me. Rule of thumb 8 in coil 8 inch deep. Probably a concentric so overlap sweeps for best depth. I carry three detectors with 3 different size coils and just switch detectors rather than change coils. Sometimes the tesoros find what the minelabs could not and visa versa.

 

[dholland02]

What u know someone bashing a cheaper machine. Hey coin why dnt u keep your mouth shut bout about these lower machines. Not every body can about a couple thousand dallor detector.My Friend that got me into MDing started with a BH and found his first silver dime with it, then went to a ace 250 has found a ton of silver. So next time how about not responding at all if your gonna say how sh$ttie they are.

 

[diggummup]

What u know someone bashing a cheaper machine. Hey coin why dnt u keep your mouth shut bout about these lower machines. Not every body can about a couple thousand dallor detector.My Friend that got me into MDing started with a BH and found his first silver dime with it, then went to a ace 250 has found a ton of silver. So next time how about not responding at all if your gonna say how sh$ttie they are.

Getting a little personal there aren't ya Kemosabe? BTW- Disguising curse words is still prohibited on this site.

 

[dholland02]

My bad I'm sorry for that caught up in the moment lol