CZ-6a - How is it for gold?

[DizzyDigger]

Howdy all,

I plan on making a number of trips down to N. Nevada this Spring and Summer in hopes of
locating an area to file a claim on. Always been a dream of mine to have my own claim, and
while I'm not expecting to find the Mother Lode, it would be great to have a place where there's
decent gold available, and the wife and I can go camp (actually, she camps, I prospect..).

Been detecting off and on for damn near 40 years, all told, as my first machine was one my dad built
for me from a Heathkit project when I was 10. Still have the memories of finding my first penny with that
machine, and although I didn't get to detect again for many years, it was the start to many adventures
hunting coins and jewelry.

Due to health issues I haven't had my latest machine, a Fisher CZ-6a, out for several years. It
was properly stored, of course, and after reinstalling the batteries and testing it out I can see
the she (all detectors are ladies, right?) hasn't lost a beat. Still has the incredible depth on coins,
but since the gold bug has bit I'm concerned about needing a machine made for gold, and that
can handle the mineralization of desert soils.

Plan to do a lot of nugget shooting and prospecting before I settle on any piece of ground,
and in order to be sure I'm on unclaimed land I've been teaching myself to use the LR2000
system. Not too complicated once you understand what the different input parameters are,
and so far I've selected about a half-dozen areas located between McDermitt and
Winnemucca that are definitely worth looking into.

This leads me to two questions:

How is the Fisher CZ6a for small nugget shooting?

If the CZ6a isn't a good choice for gold (which I believe may be the case), does a very well cared
for CZ6a have sufficient value that I can offer it in trade for a used Gold Bug II (or like quality gold machine)?
I'll also be searching many old building ruins, no doubt, so hoping a gold machine can operate in that
capacity, as well.

Appreciate any input y'all can offer, as I've waited many, many years for this opportunity.

Mike

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[woof!]

Designed primarily as a coinshooter. Because of its 5 kHz fundamental frequency, relatively slow response, 1-turn ground balance, and concentric searchcoil, not all that great a nuggetshooter. If you use it for gold prospecting, search in all metals autotune with salt compensation turned off, and swing slow and listen carefully.

CZ6A's in good condition usually get a fairly good price used, so you're well on your way to a good gold machine. In the Fisher lineup the GB2 is best on the tiniest stuff, but you have to get good at manual ground balancing. The Gold Bug Pro is nearly as good on the small stuff and is much easier to learn; plus, (unlike the GB2) it's a multipurpose machine so even though your CZ6A will be gone you'll still have coinshooting and relic hunting capability.

Anyone new to gold prospecting should read my book "Gold Prospecting with a VLF Metal Detector", online as a .pdf file on both the Fisher and Teknetics websites.

--Dave J.

 

[DizzyDigger]

Dave: Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and experience with Fisher Labs,
as that was exactly the type of response I was looking for.

Spent last night learning more about the GBPro, and after watching numerous
videos and reading several reviews/reports on the machine, I've decided on the GB Pro.
One reason was seeing in the video's how effective it is in finding very small nuggets,
and while I might be giving up a slight edge in that arena compared to the GB2, the
benefits of the advanced ground balancing circuit plus the discrimination capability
makes it a great choice.

The loudness appeals to me as I have limited hearing in one ear, and the other ear is
completely non-functional (ie:deader than Custers' horse!). With headphones on there
is no chance at all I would ever hear a rattler buzzing, so going headphone free so long
as the wind isn't blowing hard will allow me to hunt more comfortably. Also, if I miss
hearing a signal my partner will still hear it, for now, but I'm afraid after the first trip
out he'll be owning one of his own within days..lol

Read your book and found the info to be very helpful. Even though I've chased gold
at different times over the last 30 years or so, now that I'm retired there's time to actually
go prospect for more than a few hours, and what I learned from it will go a long ways once
we hit the desert.

All the best to ya Dave, and if we ever meet up out in the badlands somewhere the
is on me.

Mike

 

[BlueKnight]

Mike:

I tried using the CZ6a for nugget shooting in AZ back in the mid 90's and didn't get far due to mineralization issues, too much hot ground, ground balance problems, unstable threshold etc. I went to the GB-2 which was much better but still had occasional difficulties with mineralization, hot rocks and so on. I'm told that all VLF machines, even the best ones will do that, to a greater or lesser extent, so I finally made the leap to the Minelab PI and that pretty much solved the problem. I hunted No. Nevada with the GB-2 which has been legendary for small gold, (and large nuggets as well), but currently I would side with Dave J. on the Gold Bug Pro for the reasons mentioned. Keep an open mind about the Minelab. Many experienced gold hunters think that the best approach is to have a good VLF unit and a Pulse Induction machine, (PI) such as one of the Minelab SD models or other brands that are proven winners in the hot mineralization and alkali ground which you may run into in that area, especially around Winnemuca, and Pershing and Humboldt counties. You will definitely see a lot of Minelab PI units in the field. You might want to check out some of the Nuggethunting forums for tips and ideas of where to go and how to, from experienced gold hunters in the region.

Best of Luck,

 

[DizzyDigger]

Many thanks for the additional info BK!

You hit the area right on the head..Winnemucca, over to Carlin and maybe down as far
South as Austin. I've also got a soft spot for the Monitor Valley area, and plan to spend
a day (or 2..or 3?) poking around there as well. Providing I pack enough water and chow
along I could spend days on end poking around that country. Will also have the Nikon's along
for a bit of photography time as there are great landscape shots to be had all over Nevada.

Called Bart Davis (damn nice fellow!) yesterday and sealed up a deal for the Gold Bug Pro, and
am encouraging my buddy down in the Calif. desert to get one, as well. He's just gotten bit
by the "Gold Flu", and is only months from retirement himself. He hasn't found anything yet near
home, and after knowing him better than 35 years there's no doubt that once he gets a detector
in his hand and pops that first little picker that he'll be an addict within minutes, and hell-on-wheels
to try and keep up with in the field.