Good starter model MD

[shamre]

I am a newbie to metal detecting and would like some recommendations from some of the veterans on the board. What is a good, not too expensive, starter metal detector? Also, same thing only in an underwater model.
If you want to email me off the board you can reach me at stephenhamre@yahoo.com

 

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[Steeler Fan]

shamre,
What is your budget? Let us know so that we can give you our opinions in that price range.

Good luck!

Steeler Fan

 

[PhilMont]

If you are looking to spend $200.00 a Garrett Ace 250 would fit the bill.
Easy to learn and use and it won't break the house budget.

 

[KevGA]

Myslef and many others swear by the Garrett Ace 250, it's around $200 and if you shop around you can usually get lots of stuff to go along with it for free. ?It's easy to use, extremely effective, lite and just an overall flexible machine. ?As for the underwater detector, unfortunately the terms "not too expensive" and "underwater detector" don't really go together. ?I think the cheapest I've seen is around $500-$600, but hold on for some other opinions because I'm sure someone else probably knows something I don't on that front.

Welcome aboard!

 

[Steeler Fan]

I was gonna recommend that one, but Philmont beat me to it...especially after I asked for your the price range ?

Every day I read more and more about how nice the Garrett Ace 250 detectors are. They seem to be a great deal for the money and there have been some very nice finds with that machine!

Good luck

Steeler Fan

 

[lonewolfe]

"unfortunately the terms "not too expensive" and "underwater detector" don't really go together.? I think the cheapest I've seen is around $500-$600,"

That statement is true, and it's about the absolute cheapest you'll find a good quality "used" underwater machine for. You'll also need other equipment for retrieving your items in water (and they're not cheap either). Quality scoop that won't break = at least $150.00 and depending on where you're located, you may need wet suit items, etc. for colder water hunting (unless you hunt during june/july/august only) and that stuff adds up to 100s of $$ quickly too.

As for a land searching starter model,

read the post "Impressed with the Ace 250" a few post down the page on here!

HH and good luck on whatever you buy!

Lonewolfe

 

[treasurekidd]

I'll leave the water detector advice to the experts, and I'll will add my endorsement of the ACE250 to everyone elses. I upgraded to the ACE250 from a Bounty Hunter Pioneer 101, and it's light years ahead of the Bounty Hunter. It's very sensitive, lightweight and easy to handle, and comes with features like target ID, pinpointing, and depth indicator that usually are only found on the higher end models! I love my ACE250, and highly reccomend it! Good luck!

 

[hollowpointred]

its real hard to beat the garrett ace 250 for the $$$$.they are a very solid little machine packed with features usually found on much more expensive detectors. garrett hit a home run with the ace! i love mine.

 

[sherpa t]

Everything Lonewolfe said about the water hunting , plus even more between fresh water and salt water, gold finding and discrimination. Want to really get confused start reading reviews and posts on them detectors. They are all very pricey !!!
( salt water )
Minelab , well liked but quality issues in some of the posts, Fisher well liked , well built, Whites well liked ,
(fresh water) the Tiger shark is well liked and good on gold targets, but bad reviews in salt water. Not much good said about control housing.
I'd say pick a land detector and see how it goes, if your lov'en it save them Penny's and do alot of research you don't want to be wrong or disappointed with one of these baby's.