Hurckman said:
Any info will HELP how good is this detector

The 705

And how good is the Safari

? Thanks Dennis
4-H can tell you alot about them for sure. I have a 705 that I got about 6 weeks ago, maybe a bit sooner, dont remember exactly. I havent had as much time to use as I would like, because of the weather out here. but it has done great when I have. Its light and easy to swing for hours without your arm getting tired. Even with the larger coils on. Most of my coils are the High Freq coils though I eventually plan on getting at least 2 more of the lower freq coils. I have the six inch high freq but I would like to get the 6 inch med freq coil, and then also get the 9 inch low freq coil. I think with my others that would pretty much do it for me.
I also have a Safari and an Omega 8000 but they are new and I have only had a chance to use the Omega one time and the Safari I just got yesterday and havent used it at all.
I just got these because I have had to go to lighter detectors. My most recent detectors were a Whites DFX and a Garrett GTI 2500. Both good machines...but I have recently developed active RA, (Rheumatoid Arthritis), which has necessitated me going to as light of machines as I can get. The Safari is not as light as the Xterra or the Omega, but isnt that much heavier. It still feels ok on my arm.
Right now I cant say anything bad about the 3 of them. I think you would like the Xterra alot. I have used it and I do like it. The Omega is a good machine also and I was surprised at how light it is and how quiet a machine it is but I did do fairly well the one time I have been out with it. The Safari...well, I dont know yet. Its going to be interesting. I hope to get out today and do some detecting, IF the weather cooperates. Its been raining all week. I got to go out ONE time only for a couple of hours and that was it when the weather broke for one afternoon. Then more rain.
I think you would be surprised at the number of detectorists that buy a detector and only keep it a few months, sometimes just weeks, and then sell it and get another. Basically...looking for the one that "fits" them. If you are lucky, you know someone that you can borrow the one you are considering, and try it out before you buy one. Sometimes you can, other times not. Others just like to have the latest and greatest.
I have owned Garretts since the Groundhog days. I have owned every version of the Master Hunter series at one time or another over the years. Good machines all. And my latest was the GTI 2500. I have also owned a number of Whites detectors...both the DFX and the MXT and a number of others. All of them good machines also. Minelabs, well, other than the 2 machines I have now, I have only owned one other Minelab and that was the original Sovereign bbs model. One that I would have kept except I hit financial difficulties at the time and had to sell it. That was a good machine.
Which is why I guess I now have gone to having 2 minelabs. I will use the 705 as my prospecting machine mainly and the Safari and the Omega will be my general use machines. Havent decided yet which of the 2 I will use as my primary detector.
But definately let 4-H know the area of the country you guys are in and he can pretty much tell you what machines would be best for your area. I will be traveling alot after this summer which is why I have several machines. Sometimes one machine will work better in one part of the country than another. So I am just going to be prepared.
