FISHER 1266 Coils ?

award11

Jr. Member
Apr 4, 2013
21
6
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting

Tom Bigbee

Sr. Member
Feb 17, 2009
354
136
Miss/ Ala
Detector(s) used
1266X
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
You don't need another coil. The 1266 is a good detector but it takes a lot of patience to use it in trashy areas because of all the chatter it makes. You have to learn how to use the discrimination and sensitivity controls to your advantage. It took me over a year to do this. Just remember those buttons are on there for a reason. If you have any more questions you are welcome to send me a message. Good Luck, Tom
 

Muddyhandz

Bronze Member
Jul 1, 2012
1,226
1,955
In da bush
Detector(s) used
Fisher's 1266X, 1270X & 1280X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have 4 different coil sizes and rarely use any of them other than the 8 inch stock coil.
What disc. are you using?
I usually set at 5 (Disc.1) and 7 (Disc.2) when searching a heavy trash area like you're searching and almost never get fooled on iron.
If I'm at a historic place that I want to dig iron, I set it at 2 (Disc.1) and 5 (Disc.2) and use the sensitivity pushed in.
I suggest my first example of settings so that you don't dig as much trash and get used to good sounding signals.
Disc. 5 will accept all non-ferrous (or 4 and a half) and 7 will knock out foil, pull tabs, some brass, etc. but will still find copper and silver.
Even though this machine is one tone, there are several variances of that tone and once you get used to it, you should always know an iron signal.
If you want to get another coil, I suggest a 5 or 3.5 inch one for heavy trash.
I find the 10.5 coil useless and tiresome. It doesn't really get anymore depth than the 8 inch.
Just like Tom's invitation....Please feel free to send me a P.M..
Cheers,
Dave.
 

Tom_in_CA

Gold Member
Mar 23, 2007
13,837
10,360
Salinas, CA
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
Explorer II, Compass 77b, Tesoro shadow X2
reply

What do you guys recommend for hunting around old farm houses or wooded places ? I feel like I'm wasting my time. I've found more steel balls from a steel foundry and bottle tops than anyone in the state of ALABAMA !! Someone told me to get a bigger coil but that seems like it would be worse !

Welcome to the harsh cruel reality of the 1266x. It's a very "noisy" detector. Some people like it though. If you were in a white-dry-sand environment (which is like air-test-results), there is no doubt that you could attain astounding depths. Even to the point of supposed results while "discriminating". But the *reality* of detecting in actual field-conditions (especially if minerals are present) is far different. You will indeed get results off things you had set your disc. to eliminate. However, it will be argued by the faithful that those are just one way hits, or pinpoint differently, and so forth. Perhaps so. Perhaps with oodles of practice, you can indeed discern iron from non-iron. But in my humble experience, everything beyond 6" began to sound the same. It was as if the disc. hit a brick wall beyond that point.

You can certainly turn your sens. down all the way, and ..... as with any machine, that will help with disc. and false-signals. Or ....... you can try a different machine.
 

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