Discounted Pioneer 505 vs New ACE 250

Amneth

Newbie
Aug 8, 2013
1
0
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I've got a place that I can purchase an unused demo unit Bounty Hunter Pioneer 505 (8" Coil) for $200
or
I could buy a new Garret Ace 250 with the Kellyco free accessories for $212
Which one should I get? (New to the hobby btw so feel free to offer anything like detectors or advice)
I'm in Eastern TN for any mineral reference.

I'll have around $240 to spend and I don't want Tesoros because of the inability to detect depth and the lack of a screen. I also think that the Pioneer 505 being roughly $100 more but still cheaper is worth not getting the accessories.
 

Minrelica

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Mar 24, 2010
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Personally, I would choose the ACE over the BH.. Make your decision without the "free accessories" in mind since they don't amount to anything anyway.
 

crazy4coins

Sr. Member
Jul 9, 2013
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I know that neither of these were on your list, but I think you'd be much happier with a fisher f2 or teknetics eurotek pro. Both of them have lightning fast recovery and response time, and provide the user with Target ID numbers, which neither of the other detectors have. They can be very useful in identifying a target when coupled with the 4 tone audio ID that the F2 and Eurotek pro offer. They are also built very well, come with five year warranties, and are in the same price range. Just my two cents :)
Happy hunting!
C4C
 

christo000

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Mar 17, 2013
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I also havent used these either bounty hunter just about everyone & there mother has used one at one time or another lol, I might just go with garret cuz it is a good machine & also there customer service is above & beyond they stand by there machines in any ways possible. I would definetly ask if for whatever reason.the bounty hunter stopped working are they able to fix it & take care of the problem being a discontinued unit
 

Produce Guy

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Dec 17, 2008
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I know it's November now and you've probably have bought a detector by now,but if not go with the Garrett Ace 250 with a large DD coil & buy their pro-pointer,or buy the Tesoro Compadre for $190 with a lifetime warrenty.I'd blow off those free accesories,there garbage.
 

crazy4coins

Sr. Member
Jul 9, 2013
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I know it's November now and you've probably have bought a detector by now,but if not go with the Garrett Ace 250 with a large DD coil & buy their pro-pointer,or buy the Tesoro Compadre for $190 with a lifetime warrenty.I'd blow off those free accesories,there garbage.

If you re going to get the dd coil, why not just go for the 350 in the first place?
 

LuckyLarry

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Dec 16, 2005
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I had to sideline for awhile, too much quarreling, brand defensiveness, and seeing certain people waging war on others. It got to be too silly for me after awhile..
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I wouldn't waste my money on any of the Aces, they are noisy as all heck, don't cherry-pick or center well at all, can't handle high mineral soil, and they can drive me and other individuals nearly nuts with their 1980's delayed phase shift technology - which makes that annoying delayed "Boing, boing" sound so much that it's enough to drive some people nearly mad. The Fisher F2 would be a MUCH better choice, and the new Euro Pro is not ready for the real world just yet, it needs to go back to the drawing board for awhile longer, plus it's depth is no better than all the others I'm writing about. Its control box makes it top heavy too. The F2 goes deeper than both the Aces and it does a better job nugget hunting too, by far. The F2 outshines the Compadre, AND it is about a match with the BH 505. Yes, I've used and owned an Ace, the BH, and I currently own a Eurotech Pro plus I've tried the F2, it being a better choice than the EP or any of the others I mentioned, including the Compadre, although the Compadre finds wheaties better than any of the rest of these detectors mentioned above. However, the GS (American Hawks) Explorer (at $69 new at Amazon) does better (though not as deep) at 'finding' large gold rings (and especially wheat-backs) than all the others too, partly because of its operating frequency of 5.6 to 8 Khz, partly because its coil is so wide-scan, and partly because it is SOOO quick in response time, faster than all the above others, and almost as fast as my old Compass Goldscanner Pro. In fact, The little cheap Hawks Explorer outdoes my Fisher CZ-70 for finding wheats, and it outdid my Minelab Sovereign too, and especially my Sovereign. FreqvsCoin-4.jpg ....BTW, you would probably be best served (if you are a beginner) with the 505, it has lots of toys. Beginners like the toys, but we old goats usually don't. The American Hawks (Explorer, not the Navigator, I have one of those too) makes a good backup detector. So does the Compadre. I hope this helps you.. Larry
 

Last edited:

christo000

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Everyone has an opinión on whats good & whats not there are plenty of veiws,vídeos,ect on proving each model machine no matter what it is will get some sort of find. The more expensive machines will do more but there not gonna make finds apear I mean there,either there or not. Find a machine do some side by side comparisons & get the one that suits your detecting needs the most. What works for one may not for another,might be great out west stink in the east,no 2 spots are the same either good luck hh
 

dirtscratcher

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Mar 18, 2009
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I personally think the bounty hunter will work better than anyone is willing to give it credit for.
 

christo000

Silver Member
Mar 17, 2013
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812
mass North Attleboro
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& id love to hear how it performs to so ill be waiting lol good luck
 

LuckyLarry

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Dec 16, 2005
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I had to sideline for awhile, too much quarreling, brand defensiveness, and seeing certain people waging war on others. It got to be too silly for me after awhile..
Primary Interest:
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Last edited:

Opie

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Aug 27, 2013
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Amneth, I've owned the 250 and several other Bounty Hunter detectors. I honestly did not like the bell tone on the Ace, and it has a slower recovery speed. I tried a couple different DD coils with the Ace, it helped some but not what you would think. It will surprise you what a DD coil on any Bounty Hunter machine will do to it.
 

treasurecoasteric

Sr. Member
Jan 6, 2014
276
144
I have never liked any Bounty hunter that I have tried, but that's just me pdrsonally. I would take a serious look at the Whites Coinmaster for $200.00 over both models.

Sent from my BNTV600 using TreasureNet
 

dholland02

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Jan 15, 2012
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I've owned both and they both were a waste of money. Look into a xterra 305 get machine. You can change frequency with the coil. Probably pick a used one up pretty cheap.
 

treasurecoasteric

Sr. Member
Jan 6, 2014
276
144
That's a good point. The 305 is great .... Useless on wet sand, but awesome in every other category. I had one for a while ... It was a coin magnet!
 

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