Extreme relic hunting / Best machine for the job?

[cokat7]

Hi all, I have only a couple sites that are old ones and I hit them pretty hard with a tesoro vaquero. I have a really hard time finding stuff there now and I was wondering if anyone knows of a detector that will do very well finding small deep targets. I want a machine that will hit on BB. size targets at 8"-12". Is there a machine out there that is capable of this?

I had the opportinity to try out a tesoro lobo super trac about a week ago, it airtested a 1/8" diameter buckshot at 6". But I was hoping for a little more than that considering I have dug buckshot at 4" with the vaquero.

The minelab GPX4500 is also another machine I have considered, but I know very little about it.

Anyways, here is my big question. What machine will give me the best depth while not loosing sensitivity to small objects?

All opinions welcome.

 

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[Sandman]

I should wait for others to chime in but what you need to research is the Pulse Induction detectors.

 

[treasurehound]

I believe that there are several machines that will pick up BB size targets 8" or so. I have found them with my MXT PRO and the DFX. I do believe though that the Minelab GPX series will be the deepest. I watched a friend of mine recover a small button approx. 2' deep. I took a picture of him reaching in the hole up to his shoulder to pick it out. They are expensive but will reach targets most of us will never hear. Just my two cents but I have personally seen those machines go deeper than any other machines for relics.

 

[cokat7]

I believe that there are several machines that will pick up BB size targets 8" or so. I have found them with my MXT PRO and the DFX. I do believe though that the Minelab GPX series will be the deepest. I watched a friend of mine recover a small button approx. 2' deep. I took a picture of him reaching in the hole up to his shoulder to pick it out. They are expensive but will reach targets most of us will never hear. Just my two cents but I have personally seen those machines go deeper than any other machines for relics.

Thanks for the advice, Is the Gpx series a PI detector with disc control? I have been watching u-tube videos and such about this machine, and it's depth/sensitivity seems very impresive.

Also if the Gpx series is a pulse induction machine, what is the difference between it and say maybe a sandshark? If the difference is minimal I ,might be better off getting a PI water machine that could serve a dual purpose for relic hunting.

Sandman, feel free to give your opinion.

 

[Adrian SS]

The GPX series ML PI detectors are in a league of their own where depth and sensitivity to small gold is conserned. They have a rough iron discriminator that IDs from the surface to a few inches deep. There is a bit of a learning curve with these machines but once you get the hang of them you better cart a Back-Hoe with you.
I am a Tesoro and Garrett person and the Sand Shark and Sea Hunter and The Infinium are great detectors but if you want to find very small items very deep then you are looking at at detectors like the GP Extreme, GPX 4000, 4500, 5000.
It is possible that in salt condions the detectors I mentioned at the beginning might outperform the ML PIs. Although I have heard some stories of the ML PIs finding targets in salt beaches at extrordinary depths; How true these stories are I do not know.

Just an opinion

 

[U.K. Brian]

The Lobo was always a small targets in bad iron type of machine which is why it was a major seller in Europe to recovery small hammered silver coins before the XP Goldmaxx came along. Never a depth monster.

I would have a look at the Whites TDI. I can use one at sites that the Minelab pulse machines don't like due to EMI. I tried a couple from the Minelab range but ended up with the TDI which offered similar beach performance at a far lower price.

 

[Sandman]

As was stated the Minelab PI's are in a league of their own. Granted in some areas they falter because of EMI fields but other detectors would not preform well at all there. The Pulse manufacturers advertise about Discrimination but they don't say how much. The other side of the coin are the makers that say their detectors can find gold nuggets, ya but how big does it have to be? Any disc dialed in to PI's or VLF's seriously hinders its depth.

Air tests on a lead buckshot are not conclusive to accuracy on what kind of depth you'll get.

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

Minelab GPX 5000 is THE machine to get on deep relics or gold. PI unit with multiple timings that will hunt in any ground. Big price tag but extreme depth and sensitivity on small targets. Nothing even close to its league. Minelab's website has some great info as well.

Feel free to contact me with any questions, Bart. Love to help you.

 

[liftloop]

White's 5900 di pro there the deepest vlf detectors money can buy..will pull a breast plate at 3 to 4 feet out of the ground with the stock 950 blue max deep scan coil...



liftloop

 

[Sandman]

Breast Plate is about the size of a garbage can lid right?

 

[liftloop]

that's right, an any other vlf detector, would walk right over it with out a beep or a change in the thresh hold.that's the power of the White's 5900 Di pro.

 

[treasurehound]

White's 5900 di pro there the deepest vlf detectors money can buy..will pull a breast plate at 3 to 4 feet out of the ground with the stock 950 blue max deep scan coil...



liftloop

A breast plate at 3 to 4 feet!!!!!! That just does not seem possible with that type of machine. Did you personally dig that?

 

[Dwight S]

Breast Plate is about the size of a garbage can lid right?

Only if its sitting on a garbage can lid on top of a car hood....

I like Whites, I use an XLT, but I'm sorry, it won't pull a plate from 3 to 4 feet, no VLF will that I've ever seen and I've seen alot. 18" to 24" perhaps on a good day in good, moist soil, with the plate laying parallel with the surface....
The TDI may show a fluctuation in the threshold at 30", but even with that, I'd have to see it to believe it.

The GPX is the way to go if you want deep and sensitive to small targets with some descrimination. Its a pretty big hit to the wallet and there is a learning curve to go along with it. A lot of relic hunters are using them because of the sensitivity and extreme depth in bad soil.

 

[cokat7]

As was stated the Minelab PI's are in a league of their own. Granted in some areas they falter because of EMI fields but other detectors would not preform well at all there. The Pulse manufacturers advertise about Discrimination but they don't say how much. The other side of the coin are the makers that say their detectors can find gold nuggets, ya but how big does it have to be? Any disc dialed in to PI's or VLF's seriously hinders its depth.
Air tests on a lead buckshot are not conclusive to accuracy on what kind of depth you'll get.

I realize that I have not tried using nearly as many detectors nor have I detected as long as you have. But I can say that I have used two different tesoro models and have been detecting for a couple years. After countless airtests and testing in general I do believe that airtests will give a general idea of a machines depth, particularly the tesoro brand.

During all of my airtesting adventures, I can conclude that when using the same coil and in the same environment if the vaquero airtests buckshot at 5" max and the LST airtests it at 6"max that the LST is deeper. I will 'not' conclude that I will hear the vaq give a signal on a buckshot at 5" in the ground. I also know that there are many other factors that will determine the depth of a machine in the ground. I have found that tesoro airtests are relatively acurate for the ground that I hunt in, and I can confidently say that I will find targets at about 3/4 of what I get in an airtest.

I have read a few posts where people throw the whole airtest out the window and make it sound like the airtest is of no value what-so-ever. I must agree to a certian point, airtests are inconclusive, but not usless. Just had to get that out.

In case you're wondering, my goal is not to end the day with a pocket full of buckshot. I was just useing it as a airtest specimen. Apreciate all the replies thank-you.

 

[Shenandoah Digger]

GPX 5000 is the way to go if you want to dig deep. But you will dig nails at 24", and you will be certain that it's a good target.

 

[Dwight S]

GPX 5000 is the way to go if you want to dig deep. But you will dig nails at 24", and you will be certain that it's a good target.

I've got a friend who recently picked up at GPX-4800 and tried it out for the first time this past weekend. He got ear poping signals that sounded so good to him. I'd check the target with my AT Pro and announce "Iron", he say "no way, too good of a signal". He'd dig, it was iron every time...

One thing I know, the GPX detectors don't play well with others.... I couldn't get with 30' of him without EMI.

 

[bigtim1973]

Hi all, I have only a couple sites that are old ones and I hit them pretty hard with a tesoro vaquero. I have a really hard time finding stuff there now and I was wondering if anyone knows of a detector that will do very well finding small deep targets. I want a machine that will hit on BB. size targets at 8"-12". Is there a machine out there that is capable of this?

I had the opportinity to try out a tesoro lobo super trac about a week ago, it airtested a 1/8" diameter buckshot at 6". But I was hoping for a little more than that considering I have dug buckshot at 4" with the vaquero.

The minelab GPX4500 is also another machine I have considered, but I know very little about it.

Anyways, here is my big question. What machine will give me the best depth while not loosing sensitivity to small objects?

All opinions welcome.

Just curious but have you considered another coil? It is possible that you have got everything that your stock coil can reach and if targets are few and far between then maybe you should get a larger coil to see deeper into the ground since you seemed to have cleared out the things within reach of the stock coil. Just an idea, Tim

 

[U.K. Brian]

Larger coil will pick up more ground effect and the larger you go the more sensitivity that is lost and he wants small targets.

The problem with Minelab P.I.'s and the original TDI and TDI Pro (around 30% less powerful than the later Minelabs but a fraction of the price) is they don't tend to be cost effective in use on land unless its gold your after or in a dig all relic situation. So much time is spent digging unwanted targets.

In this case pulse may be best (extreme relic hunting) but most people are soon put off by the amount of sheer hard work involved. Specialist machines for special tasks !

 

[cokat7]

Larger coil will pick up more ground effect and the larger you go the more sensitivity that is lost and he wants small targets.

The problem with Minelab P.I.'s and the original TDI and TDI Pro (around 30% less powerful than the later Minelabs but a fraction of the price) is they don't tend to be cost effective in use on land unless its gold your after or in a dig all relic situation. So much time is spent digging unwanted targets.

In this case pulse may be best (extreme relic hunting) but most people are soon put off by the amount of sheer hard work involved. Specialist machines for special tasks !

I do have the 10x12 wide scan for the Vaquero and it performs just as you said. I can usually only run it at half sensitivity in disc mode and gives me an ear ache if I run it in AM. Not only that but it looses much of it's sensitivity to small objects.

I am in a dig-all relic situation. I have cleaned the site out fairly good, I run in AM mode and often only hear the threshold for a long time. When I do get signals now they barely make a fluctuation in the threshold while I rub the coil on the ground. I wanted to buy the GPX 4500 but the cost is way beyond what I am willing to spend.

I must admit the Vaquero has performed extremely well, it was finding 1/2" musketballs down a little past 10". I have looked into the whites TDI pro and it seems like it might be the answer.