MD choice,HELP PLEASE.

[bell47]

I have been shopping for a MD for quite a while now. What I need is one that I can use mostly underwater but would like to use it on dry land some too. From what I've read Garret Sea hunter seems to be the most bang for my buck, but this is a novice opinion. Most of my MD'ing would be lake/swimming hole diving, but I want to look for some coins(silver,gold) on a shipwreck too. The dryland stuff would be some beach hunting. I have looked at the Garret Sea Hunter, the Whites surfmaster pro, and of course the minelab excal. Can someone help with their expierience. I've read all the post on the owners forum and it seems everyone thinks they have the best! I just want the most for my money. The whites and the garret are with in about a hundred bucks of each other and the minelab seems to be about 2-300 more. Is it worth it and why? What makes it better and/or cost more? opinions on other detectors are welcome. Thanks guys, bell47.

 

[paleoheadhunter]

I had a Garrett Seahunter that I used in salt and fresh water as well as on dry.I never had a problem getting VERY deep hits on the beach.It's a great machine..HH!!GL!!

 

[Sandman]

I have used the Sea Hunter and Surf Master Pro PI and they are very deep machines and would do well for beach hunting and many use them. However being PI's, they have almost no discrimination to speak of and love small iron so you could end up digging deep holes for a bobby pin. A PI at a freshwater lake would drive you crazy with all the iron it would locate as things there rust slower.

A better choice would be a VLF with discrimination. Something like the Tiger Shark, Beach Hunter ID, or top of the line for many, the EXCAL. The Excal is my choice because it has Iron Mask, 17 freq., tone ID, and great depth, but not as deep as a PI. Iron mask allows this detector to null out on iron like bobby pins and still report on a gold ring or other coin underneath. Other detectors can null on the iron if you have disc. set to reject iron and it won't respond to the ring or coin. That is why is is worth the little bit extra money. It is also the detector of choice for freshwater or dry or wet saltwater sand. The Minelab Sov GT is the land version of the Excal.

Good Luck,
Sandman

 

[JOE(USA)]

bell47,

Sandman gave you some good advise. The pulse machines can be very frustrating especially in freshwater. You will dig a ton of iron junk.
I am currently using a Tesoro TS, but the Minelab Excal is considered the very best,especially if you are an experienced hunter. My advise is to be very careful about considering a PI machine,they have their place, but not for what you seem to be saying. Joe

 

[Birdman1]

I agree with the others, stay away from the Surf PI for freshwater beaches. I have one and will easily dig 30 or more bobby pins in a few hours of looking. Bobby pins are hard to dig because they keep falling through the holes in my scoop. I even put magnets in the scoop to catch them but rarely would get one in the first attempt. Usually have to dig 2 or 3 times,sometimes more, before I would catch them. I have only dug a couple of bobby pins since I started using the Excal, and those were when I was just trying to learn the different sounds.

 

[bell47]

sounds like i may be getting a excal now, thanks for the advice guys. i guess i gotta save up a few more pennys first.

 

[ozdrew PI dig all]

Hello

I own a seahunter MK II , Its a great MD for sand , beach and under water . Its finds rings and it also finds chains, the excal will miss chain link gold and silver.

It will be no good for land , i get heaps of falsing when it touches grass and plants. As Sandman said , YOU will have to dig every target on the beach , The up side is you get every thing and it goes deep. The down side is you dig lots and lots of holes with rubbish at the bottom.

If i had the money i would have purchased a excal minelab, not as deep but you can cover more ground and do away with the rusty stuff, the excal works very well on land also (it’s a minelab sovereign in under water casing)

Andrew

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Hello

I own a seahunter MK II , Its a great MD for sand , beach and under water . Its finds rings and it also finds chains, the excal will miss chain link gold and silver.

Andrew

Don't know, people say Excal will miss a gold chain, yet mine found a gold lobster clasp from a chain, not the chain it went to, just the tiny clasp that broke off.

 

[lowtones]

I agree with sandman. EXCALIBUR
lowtones

 

[Birdman1]

The first time out with my Excal I found 2 necklaces. One was junk but the other, smaller one was silver. You can see pictures here in this post.

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,103991.0.html

 

[Mike Silver -gold]

I,ve owned many water machines. I thought my Fisher 1280,s were great,till I tried them in salt water. They suck. I use an Excalibur 1000 now. It is totaly awsum. Good luck Mike.

 

[rob2646]

Totally agree, Excal, go with the best and in no time it will pay for it's self....You will never know how good these machines are until you own one...Do deep six the factory shaft and get a lightening or florida shaft.

 

[bell47]

Thanks for all the replies! The little lady saw the price on the excal and pretty much said "Hell no", but said the Seahunter would be O.K. so I got one before she could change her mind With that done I was diving at a local swimming hole within two hours. I found four pennys, a quarter, several bottle caps, a couple of fishing lures and a small toe ring that I think may be silver. How do you tell what it's made of I had a blast and plan to do some more MDing this week. Thanks again for the advice, bell47.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Most times it is marked on the inside of the ring. Silver usually 925 or sterling. Gold 10, 12, 14, 18, 22, 24K.


Just a hint, your mistake was telling the wife the cost before you got the Excal. I have 2 Excals I bought used, both arrived working properly and are still working great. I could sell either one for what I paid for them so I am out nothing. They are sold on Ebay and detector forums now used for $650-$850.

I told my wife that the money is not lost, it is still there, it is just invested in the detectors and I can get money back anytime.

Excals pay for theirselves quickly. Wife is wearing a diamond ring I found a few weeks back on a finger she had no rings on at the time I found it.

Good luck hunting.