Diving metal detector

[thegreatfindingfinder]

I'm thinking about buying new metal detector. I want one that works up to at least 50 feet underwater, but also works well on land. If it makes a difference, it's fresh water.

 

[davest]

I think you're looking for a Garrett SeaHunter MK II. It's a pulse induction unit and I use mine for water only. It would pick up any and all types of metal. It's also warranteed to 200 ft.

 

[DewGuru]

Since your talking fresh water, take a look at the Tesoro Tiger Shark. Ultra sensitive on gold, lifetime warranty, and won't break the bank.

 

[FLauthor]

There is not a better detector than a Minelab Excalibur. What sold me on it? I had a Fisher Aquanaut and the salesman took his gold ring off and placed a 16 penny nail through it. He passed it under my Fisher and the detector discriminated the iron and the gold ring. The Excalibur ignores iron like it not even there. Salesman passed the ring/nail combo under the Minelab coil and it ignored the nail and rang out on the gold ring. It works just as well in SCUBA diving depths as it does on dry sand beaches. That Garrett PI is a good machine until you have a little rusted bobby pin in the sea weed and its ringing out like a 10 gram gold ring. Tesoro Tiger Shark is a good machine and the Lifetime Warranty is good. I bought my Excalibur in 1990 and its been to the factory about 4 times in 23 years and has found about $4000 in gold rings. If you find a gold ring and you want to sell it, for Gods sake, don't take it to a "We Buy Gold", you'll get gypped. My Gold goes to www.aragold.com, they pay 98% spot and they will buy the stones too.

 

[thegreatfindingfinder]

There is not a better detector than a Minelab Excalibur. What sold me on it? I had a Fisher Aquanaut and the salesman took his gold ring off and placed a 16 penny nail through it. He passed it under my Fisher and the detector discriminated the iron and the gold ring. The Excalibur ignores iron like it not even there. Salesman passed the ring/nail combo under the Minelab coil and it ignored the nail and rang out on the gold ring. It works just as well in SCUBA diving depths as it does on dry sand beaches. That Garrett PI is a good machine until you have a little rusted bobby pin in the sea weed and its ringing out like a 10 gram gold ring. Tesoro Tiger Shark is a good machine and the Lifetime Warranty is good. I bought my Excalibur in 1990 and its been to the factory about 4 times in 23 years and has found about $4000 in gold rings. If you find a gold ring and you want to sell it, for Gods sake, don't take it to a "We Buy Gold", you'll get gypped. My Gold goes to www.aragold.com, they pay 98% spot and they will buy the stones too.

Have you tried it while diving?

 

[MBbeachrat]

Excalibur for sure. Don't waist time with iron underwater unless your looking for artifacts.

 

[Jason in Enid]

You do NOT want a pulse induction detector like the Garrett. You need something that will let you avoid most iron and just dig the conductive targets. I use the Minelab Excalibur also and I would highly recommend it. Yes, I have used it while scuba diving.

 

[ron lord]

FLauther said there no better detector than the excel. Well he just doesn't want you to know about the Tesoro Tiger shark. Like DewGuru said life time warrant and the best part is it only cost a third of an excel and will find Gold about this size ( * ) at 8 inch .I have had my Tiger shark for a month and the smallest gold I got so far is .4 grams at 12 inches.

 

[ron lord]

o the tiger shark is a VLF detector, just like the excal

 

[Fletch88]

o the tiger shark is a VLF detector, just like the excal

Well Excal isn't just like Tiger it is BBS broad band spectrum machine. 17 frequencies from 2.5- 25.5 kHz simultaneously. Super iron discrim. Great saltwater machine.

 

[Fletch88]

Tiger great freshwater VLF machine.

 

[thegreatfindingfinder]

I reeeeeally can't spend $1500 on the Excalibur. How well does the tiger shark work on land?

 

[Fletch88]

They work fine on land, other than the weight. It can be hip mounted to get weight off arm. Also the discrim isn't as good as a land machine such as silver uMax or cibola. I recommend an 8" coil if you do buy a tiger shark for diving. It's easier to handle in water.

 

[lookindown]

If freshwater only, Tiger Shark would be a good choice.

 

[Midas_touch]

If you want a vlf then go with the tiger at a cheaper price. A nice pulse unit is the whites surf dual field. They have a nice dive rod set up for it as well. Just remember youll be digging everything.

 

[ron lord]

Well Excal isn't just like Tiger it is BBS broad band spectrum machine. 17 frequencies from 2.5- 25.5 kHz simultaneously. Super iron discrim. Great saltwater machine.

The excel is still a VLF detector.

 

[Fletch88]

Yes, agreed Ron it's still a VLF.

 

[Barrell]

Since your talking fresh water, take a look at the Tesoro Tiger Shark. Ultra sensitive on gold, lifetime warranty, and won't break the bank.

WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC PROBLEMS WITH USING THE TIGER SHARK IN THE SALT? The company claims it is a good saltwater machine.

 

[Fletch88]

No comment! Anyone care to get clobbered? If you go with the Tiger I would get the 8" coil for use while diving. They are hardwired now.

 

[Jason in Enid]

WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC PROBLEMS WITH USING THE TIGER SHARK IN THE SALT? The company claims it is a good saltwater machine.

It's a single frequency VLF. They have a HORRIBLE time dealing with the conductivity of the salt in the wet sand and the water. The dry sand doesn't really bother them. PI machines aren't bothered and multiple freq VLFs like the Excalibur handle it easily.

Just because a manufacturer says a machine can be used on the beach, the ocean, for prospecting, etc doesn't really matter. Manufacturers are interested in selling as many units as possible. If it's not for park hunting, you need a machine DEDICATED to that type or location of hunting.