M6 owners

bootybay · Oct 11, 2007

What in your opinion is your favorite coil for coin/jewelry searching and why?

Rowdy · Oct 11, 2007

Probably the best answer to that question is, "it depends".

Primarily, it depends on what conditions you are hunting in, specifically, how much trash, and to a lesser extent, how much ground mineralization.

I have four coils for my m6, stock, 4X6, 6X10, and 12". Of those, I really like the 4X6 in areas like parks and playgrounds where there is a lot of trash. It lets you seperate targets that are close together unbelievably well, and pinpointing is extremely easy. The downside is that you lose some depth compared to larger coils.

I just got the 6X10, and am still getting used to it. I like the coverage and search pattern, but I'm not convinced of the depth capabilities yet, and I'm still struggling with pinpointing.

If I'm in an area that doesn't have a lot of trash, the 12" is the deepest, and covers the most territory. This is the coil I've used the least, since I've been hunting public places lately.

The stock coil is a good compromise, it doesn't seperate as well as the 4X6, or go as deep as the 12", and won't handle minerals like the 6X10, BUT, it will work O.K. most places!

You didn't say so, but I have a feeling what you are really asking, is which coil to get next, correct? If that is is, I'd say the 4X6 hands down! It will open up new territory that you can't hunt effectively with the stock coil.

When you get a second coil, spring for the an extra lower rod and hardware. It on;y costs about $15, and makes switching coils a 1 minute operation!

cosmic · Oct 11, 2007

I'm sure there are more experienced people to answer your question than I, but I like the 6x10 .. Haven't tried the 4x6 yet so I can't say.. I do like the coverage of the 6x10 and the depth isn't to bad and the separation is great in a target rich area...By the way it pinpoints in front of the ears of the coil.. But the stock is deeper and the depth reading and the vdi has better accuracy.. so i would perfer the 6x10 then the stock for coins and jewelry..

Mainedigger · Oct 11, 2007

Bootybay....great post and I am also curious as to what everyone else says, I got an M6 this past spring and have been using the stock coil on it (love it so far) and am curious as to the pluses and minuses of both the 4x6 and the 6x10...for I have been looking at and thinking of possibly getting one of those sometime in the future. Right now though I am thrilled with the perfomance of the stock coil as well as the M6 in general...

LI Tom · Oct 11, 2007

I have the stock and the 5.3"eclipse.I use the stock most of the time.The stock is the best for most conditions,you can use it a fairly trashy area, if you slow your swing and overlap,you can often make out a good target among the trash.I use the 5.3 in very trashy spots.It's almost as deep as the stock,pinpoints dead on and VDI #'s are the same as the stock.

DFX-SE Gregg · Oct 11, 2007

LI Tom said:
I have the stock and the 5.3"eclipse.I use the stock most of the time.The stock is the best for most conditions,you can use it a fairly trashy area, if you slow your swing and overlap,you can often make out a good target among the trash.I use the 5.3 in very trashy spots.It's almost as deep as the stock,pinpoints dead on and VDI #'s are the same as the stock.

This post is also dead on... I agree with Tom...

bootybay · Oct 12, 2007

ok first.. I took it out today the m6.. with the stock coil.. I hate it.. I shoulda brought the 5.3 coil with me.. that one is dead on and so easy for me to pinpoint... the stock coil I cannot stand..I cant for the life of me pinpoint with it... and today was in a super ironized soil...with beer cans, tops and you name it..didnt find jack there... but the machine was going haywire..I tried the nobs every which way...go so frustrated I came home..

so tell me bout this 4x6 is it as good as the 5.3 eclipse?

Rowdy · Oct 12, 2007

bootybay said:
so tell me bout this 4x6 is it as good as the 5.3 eclipse?

I have no personal experience with the 5.3, but I suspect it will go a bit deeper than the 4X6, but won't seperate targets quite as well. If you have a 5.3, I probably wouldn't get the 4X6 in addition.

The 5.3 is a concentric coil just like the stock 9.5, just smaller. It's search pattern is like a cone, with the center being the deepest point detected, and also where it pinpoints. If you have several targets less than five inches apart, you'll wind up with more than one under the coil, and get incorrect signals.

The 4X6 is a DD, it's search pattern is pretty much a straight line down the middle if the coil from front to back, as deep as it can detect. Pinpointing is along the entire middle, so you move the coil back until the target disappears, and the target will be under, or just slightly in front of the front middle edge of the coil. Ditto with the rear if you move the coil away from you to pinpoint. This is the same way the 6X10 works.

Because of the detection pattern only being about an inch wide, and six inches long, by moving around multiple close targets, you can get the "line" of detection between them, and see what each is.

Rowdy · Oct 12, 2007

bootybay said:
ok first.. I took it out today the m6.. with the stock coil.. I hate it.. I shoulda brought the 5.3 coil with me.. that one is dead on and so easy for me to pinpoint... the stock coil I cannot stand..I cant for the life of me pinpoint with it... and today was in a super ironized soil...with beer cans, tops and you name it..didnt find jack there... but the machine was going haywire..I tried the nobs every which way...go so frustrated I came home..

A trashy area like that is where a small coil shines. In a situation like that, no matter which coil I have on, I leave the discrimination all the way down, set sensitivity as high as stable, then ground balance over a clean spot of ground. After you ground balance, and BEFORE you move, flip the ground track toggle to the middle "lock" position. That helps keep your tones consistent.

After all that, go real slow, listen carefully, and if you get a signal that sounds promising, work your way around it, and see if it changes. A coin is usually going to have a consistent, concise signal no matter which way you hit it. Iron will usually change as you move. Bottle caps and pull tabs can stay consistent, but have slightly different tones. Maybe the same pitch as a coin, but the beginning and end of the tone is different. I can't describe it, but you'll know when you hear it after some practice.