Looking for my first Metal Detector

[paul11]

Hi all i am thinking of taking up this Hobby, i've done a little research and to me it looks less hassle to MD beach areas rather than land as you need to find the land owner to go on the land, is this the case? If so i will be looking for a MD suitable for this, budget £500 but i don't mind spending less, thanks,,,Paul.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Welcome from New York!

 

[paul11]

Thanks for the vids I have looked at the Garrett Sea Hunter MkII Metal Detector and that is under £500. Will this detector also work on dry land? or do you need a another one for that. At this point I'm still not sure exactly what I'm going to do but searching for rings and coins on the beach I think will be a good start.

 

[Terry Soloman]

It works on dirt, but it is NOT the right machine for land hunting. You need a VLF machine that can really discriminate and has manual Ground Balance for dirt and dry sand digging. Lighter, easier, faster!

 

[paul11]

So to do both land and sea you really need one for each. I think I will have to find out locally where I can and can't use a MD and maybe then I can decide on the correct one. There are many used MDs on ebay and I am tempted to grab one but I know I really need to find out a bit more info first, thanks Paul.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Look at the Classified offerings here, and the used machines offered by the TRUSTED sponsors here on T-Net! Good Luck!

 

[paul11]

Thanks Terry but I'm in the UK, something will come up for sale at some point new or used and I can run it past you guys to see what you think.

 

[adamBomb]

Dont get one yet. Figure out where you can hunt first. Then come back and let us know. Given your budget I would look to a used machine but it might be harder to find one since you are outside of the US.

 

[paul11]

Thanks Adam will do.

 

[paul11]

Guys I am really getting the urge to push these keys and order one of those nice MDs. I think I'm going to be going for a beach MD, you don't need any permission you can download a licence and get on with it. I think the Garrett Sea Hunter Mark II may more than I need, I have also been looking at the Garrett AT Pro International, seen some vids and it looks good. I will not be diving with the MD it will never be in more that 2 feet of salt water, what one of these would be best for a beginner, they are both about the same price,,Paul.

 

[Terry Soloman]

THE AT PRO IS A SINGLE-FREQUENCY VLF - It is NOT a saltwater machine no matter what the dealers say. If you want to "settle" because you can't afford a multi-freq machine fine, but you'll just be disappointed in the end.

 

[paul11]

Now I'm really confused, this guy likes his one

 

[paul11]

So what you are saying is I need a PI MD. So what one's can we look for say $700 which I think will be about £500 here in the UK, the Sea Hunter Mark II is one, what else is there.

 

[against the wind]

Hey Paul,,
welcome to Tnet.
There is a tremendous amount of experience here on Tnet. The good news is that all the information and suggestions that theTnet members will give you are FREE. The only suggestions you will pay for are the ones that you don't take.
It sounds to me that you have been bitten by the treasure hunting bug and that you are anxious to get into the game. If you absorb the benefits of listening to the long time experience of the guys and gals here on Tnet you can avoid making some of the mistakes that some of us made in the beginning.
Thank you for giving us a budget to work with. Also the type of hunting you will do.
You need to know that there are some accessories that go along with your detector purchase that are essential. A good sand scoop is a must. Since you will not be able to purchase an Excalibur and stay within you budget, then you are restricted to Dry Sand. If you want a machine that will give you some flexibility then go ahead and view some videos on the AT PRO. AT stands for All Terrain. However, it will not function properly in salt water or on wet sand. Like most machines that are not designed to function in salt water,,, with the AT PRO, you will be chasing Ghost Signals all day long. So All Terrain does not include Salt Water.
It took me 18 months to recover the initial purchase price of my AT PRO. I hunt a lot. With the Pro,, it was mostly parks and FRESH WATER lakes. I recovered gold rings and gold earrings as well as silver jewelry but the purchase price was covered by just clad coins. If you are patient and successful in your treasure hunting ventures, you may be able to upgrade in a short period of time.
Other pieces of equipment that many of us survived without for years,, are Lesche Diggers and Pin Pointers. These are part of my dirt digging outfit and I won't leave home without them.
There are many do it yourself videos on line that may help you save money on the purchase price of equipment like sand scoops.
Try to trust the advice of seasoned Treasure Hunters like Terry Soloman. It will end up making your transition into the World of Treasure Hunting a much more enjoyable experience.
Best of luck and Happy Hunting, ,, ATW

 

[paul11]

That really is excellent, thanks for taking the time to write it and I will listen to the people of the forum. So I am looking for a PI MD with a budget or approximately £500/$750. The only one I know about so far is the Sea Hunter Mark II and from some of the old posts I have looked at it has been about for quite a few years and is said to be very good. Is there anything else in budget that anyone would recommend?

 

[Terry Soloman]

Tesoro Sand Shark with 8" coil for PI.

 

[paul11]

Thanks Terry, I can only find one dealer in the UK and it is to expensive at £659.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Thanks Terry, I can only find one dealer in the UK and it is to expensive at £659.

That's too bad. In the United States it is less expensive than ANY other PI at $600.00. I guess over there it is in high demand and the Brits have discovered it is a better machine than most - and they can get a lot more for it.

 

[paul11]

Do you think the Sea Hunter Mark II is not very good?

 

[Terry Soloman]

Do you think the Sea Hunter Mark II is not very good?

It is a fine machine. There is not one thing wrong with it. There are things "I" like better about the Sand Shark however. Ease of use; weight; balance in the water and on the beach; Hardwired headphones; and lastly - in my never humble opinion, depth and sensitivity.