Metal detector suggestions for gold/relics/meteorite hunting in Arizona?

[GreyGhost]

Hello there-
I live in Southern Arizona and am really anxious to get into gold/relic/meteorite hunting (basically anything I can find in the outdoors).
I've camped, hiked and hunted in the hills of Southern Arizona my whole life but have never owned a metal detector.
So I was looking for some suggestions on what to buy considering my my region, needs and budget.
Its my understanding that inorder to detect gold (which can be found in this state) you need a sensitive metal detector that's advertised as a "gold detecting". Bare minimum buy-in for one of these is around $500(?).
Can anyone suggest any makes/models that'd be good for Arizona? I'd like to spend less than $500 if at all possible.
In the course of my detecting I would also like to find relics (mining, cowboy, cavalry stuff etc.) and meteorites too (oh what they heck).
And being metal I'm assuming any gold detecting finder will pick up any of those objects, unless ofcourse I'm wrong in that assumption.
I also imagine I'll need a trough or pick, magnet and all the other crap I bring with me when I'm out in that part of the world (water, sidearm, GPS etc.)
Thanks

 

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[discovery_bound]

GreyGhost,
First, welcome to T-Net! Finding/picking a metal detector is kind of like deciding on a pair of underwear.....get the one that best fits you. Your best option, if available, is to find a dealer in your area that will let you 'test drive' a few different models for your price range. That way, you can get the feel for one and decide if it fits you before you make a purchase. Another option is to research this site as there are numerous threads which speak to your very question. You also might consider buying something in the 2 -3 hundred dollar range when starting out as you may decide to not like this hobby after a few months. Just some things to consider. Whatever you decide, I hope it works out for you and good luck.

HH
DB

 

[Shortstack]

GG:
If you're wanting a specific brand suggestion, I'd say a Tesoro Lobo would be an excellent choice for your "all around" detector. It is designed for gold nugget hunting and come standard with an oblong shaped coil. I think it's a 6"x9" coil. Then, Tesoro has round concentric coils for it that you can use for the coin and relic hunting. The Lobo has an automatically adjusting ground balance circuit that constantly adjusts to the changing ground conditons.
If you don't go with the Lobo, then get a detector with manual ground balancing so that you can do it yourself as needed.
The detectors with a little higher frequencies are supposed to be good for finding the smaller specks of gold. The Lobo, I think is a 10 kHz or a 13 kHz machine (I can't remember for sure) and the Fisher F70 and F75 are in the 15 kHz range.
My older Tesoro Bandido II (10 kHz) will nail small, corroded BB's so I wouldn't hesitate to use IT nugget hunting; given the chance.
A day or 2 ago, I saw a used Lobo and a F70 on eBay. The used Lobo's usually go for around $450-$500 on eBay and the F70 had a "Buy Now" price of $525 with free shipping. I think that New F70s go for about $650 while the New Lobos are in the $700 range.
Go to the different Manufacturer's website and check out their machines and figure 80% of their retail price as what you can usually buy one for from a dealer.

For hunting meteorites, any good quality detector will detect them if you'll use the "All Metal" mode with Discrimination set to "0".

Good luck.

 

[GreyGhost]

GreyGhost,
First, welcome to T-Net! Finding/picking a metal detector is kind of like deciding on a pair of underwear.....get the one that best fits you. Your best option, if available, is to find a dealer in your area that will let you 'test drive' a few different models for your price range. That way, you can get the feel for one and decide if it fits you before you make a purchase. Another option is to research this site as there are numerous threads which speak to your very question. You also might consider buying something in the 2 -3 hundred dollar range when starting out as you may decide to not like this hobby after a few months. Just some things to consider. Whatever you decide, I hope it works out for you and good luck.

HH
DB

Thanks for the welcome! Can you find good gold-detecting finders in the $2-300 range? Max I'd like to spend is about $400.

GG:
If you're wanting a specific brand suggestion, I'd say a Tesoro Lobo would be an excellent choice for your "all around" detector. It is designed for gold nugget hunting and come standard with an oblong shaped coil. I think it's a 6"x9" coil. Then, Tesoro has round concentric coils for it that you can use for the coin and relic hunting. The Lobo has an automatically adjusting ground balance circuit that constantly adjusts to the changing ground conditons.
If you don't go with the Lobo, then get a detector with manual ground balancing so that you can do it yourself as needed.
The detectors with a little higher frequencies are supposed to be good for finding the smaller specks of gold. The Lobo, I think is a 10 kHz or a 13 kHz machine (I can't remember for sure) and the Fisher F70 and F75 are in the 15 kHz range.
My older Tesoro Bandido II (10 kHz) will nail small, corroded BB's so I wouldn't hesitate to use IT nugget hunting; given the chance.
A day or 2 ago, I saw a used Lobo and a F70 on eBay. The used Lobo's usually go for around $450-$500 on eBay and the F70 had a "Buy Now" price of $525 with free shipping. I think that New F70s go for about $650 while the New Lobos are in the $700 range.
Go to the different Manufacturer's website and check out their machines and figure 80% of their retail price as what you can usually buy one for from a dealer.

For hunting meteorites, any good quality detector will detect them if you'll use the "All Metal" mode with Discrimination set to "0".

Good luck.

Thanks for the tip. I'll keep my eye out for a Lobo. Do you recommend the Fisher Gold Bug?

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Can you find good gold-detecting finders in the $2-300 range? Max I'd like to spend is about $400


I'm sorry but not in this present day or life.

The best priced budget machine may be the Euraka gold by minelab $998.95 These are not readily available.

These machines are back ordered as most decent gold machines due to the over seas gold rush.

It could take you up to 3 months to get one new.

 

[GreyGhost]

Can you find good gold-detecting finders in the $2-300 range? Max I'd like to spend is about $400


I'm sorry but not in this present day or life.

The best priced budget machine may be the Euraka gold by minelab $998.95 These are not readily available.

These machines are back ordered as most decent gold machines due to the over seas gold rush.

It could take you up to 3 months to get one new.

The "good" part I guess is what kills it..
guess you can find gold-finders in the $2-300 range but they will be far from "good".

 

[discovery_bound]

GG,
Are you sure you need a gold specific detector? I only ask since you stated you'd like to hunt for gold, relics, and meteorites. You can get some good detectors for $400 or less that should do just fine with relics and meteorites. I've never really hunted for gold, so not sure of the ideal frequency setting. 4-H, Shortstack, and a few others around here really know their stuff and will do their best to steer you in the right direction.

HH
DB

 

[Shortstack]

I don't know your feelings about eBay, but you can find used gold machines there as well as used general purpose machines. I just bought an old Garrett's The Hunter BFO that I intend to use for meteorite hunting in some of the old gravel pits around where I live. My Bandido II and DeLeon set for all metal and high Sens. will work, too, but the all metal circuits in the newer machines are VCO's, not BFO's.

You can find a used Bandido II or Bandido uMax in your stated price range and they will do what you want.

Yes, Fisher Gold Bugs are good machines. You can find those, in used condition, on eBay also. In the last 3 weeks, I've seen used Fisher CZ-7's go in your price range, too. Those old CZ-7's were supper sensitive and, even though I'm not a Fisher owner, they might be as good as the new F70's and maybe even the F75's at a lot lower prices. Those older Fishers were considered too sensitive for beginners because they would pop and chirp all the time and the feeling was, it took an experienced detector user to "put up" with the noise. That background "noise" was the machine's sensitively picking up every little mote and speck.

 

[GreyGhost]

GG,
Are you sure you need a gold specific detector? I only ask since you stated you'd like to hunt for gold, relics, and meteorites. You can get some good detectors for $400 or less that should do just fine with relics and meteorites. I've never really hunted for gold, so not sure of the ideal frequency setting. 4-H, Shortstack, and a few others around here really know their stuff and will do their best to steer you in the right direction.

HH
DB

I just figured because there's gold in AZ, while I was out detecting I might as well be looking for that too. It was also suggested to me by a few guys in AZ that metal detect to start with a gold-detector. But seeing as I just don't know a heck of a lot about the whole thing maybe my odds of finding gold will be a lot better in the river beds panning?

I don't know your feelings about eBay, but you can find used gold machines there as well as used general purpose machines. I just bought an old Garrett's The Hunter BFO that I intend to use for meteorite hunting in some of the old gravel pits around where I live. My Bandido II and DeLeon set for all metal and high Sens. will work, too, but the all metal circuits in the newer machines are VCO's, not BFO's.

You can find a used Bandido II or Bandido uMax in your stated price range and they will do what you want.

Yes, Fisher Gold Bugs are good machines. You can find those, in used condition, on eBay also. In the last 3 weeks, I've seen used Fisher CZ-7's go in your price range, too. Those old CZ-7's were supper sensitive and, even though I'm not a Fisher owner, they might be as good as the new F70's and maybe even the F75's at a lot lower prices. Those older Fishers were considered too sensitive for beginners because they would pop and chirp all the time and the feeling was, it took an experienced detector user to "put up" with the noise. That background "noise" was the machine's sensitively picking up every little mote and speck.

I use ebay quite a lot so I have no qualms with buying stuff from there. I'll check out those models you listed. Thanks

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Yeah. let us know what you find

 

[Shortstack]

GG:
If you look on eBay, just use their search function. Search for "used tesoro metal detectors" and let it look in all sections. Then, change the manufacturer's name in the search subject and check THOSE listings. Go through Tesoro, Fisher, Whites, and Garrets, in turn and see what's listed. I've seen fresh listings put on during the day, so if you check at noon, then in the evening, it's possible to find a "new" listing later in the same day. People are adding things all the time.
Go to the manufacturers' websites and write down the MSRP for each machine you're interested in, then take 80% of THAT and you'll have the price you'll pay at web dealers for the NEW machine. A used machine in excellent condition will usually bring only about one half to three fourths of the 80% price.
Now that I've gotten you thouroughly confused, go forth and be fruitful.