Need help with choosing a pi Machine

dieselram94

Gold Member
Jun 17, 2011
9,174
6,675
Mid Coast Maine
Detector(s) used
Xterra 705, Tesoro Sand Shark, Garrett Pro Pointer (mine). Fisher F2 my son's
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
If going PI, you can't beat the lifetime warranty of the sand shark.


Sent from a spun out toilet paper tube (one ply)!
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,419
30,081
White Plains, New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Tesoro Sand Shark. It is easy to use, lighter than other models, made in America with a Lifetime warranty for the original owner.

 

ScubaDetector

Silver Member
Mar 1, 2016
3,668
8,247
Port Huron MI
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
2 Fisher CZ-21's 8 and 10" coils
Tesoro Tiger Shark 8 and 10" coils (Interchangeable)
Minelab E-Trac with Sun Ray Probe
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
Two questions. Where are you located and why a PI? Just curious.
 

OP
OP
Ace 250

Ace 250

Full Member
Jul 8, 2012
120
27
Detector(s) used
ACE 250
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Located in ca and just looking to upgrade dto a ace250
 

ScubaDetector

Silver Member
Mar 1, 2016
3,668
8,247
Port Huron MI
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
2 Fisher CZ-21's 8 and 10" coils
Tesoro Tiger Shark 8 and 10" coils (Interchangeable)
Minelab E-Trac with Sun Ray Probe
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
You might want to talk to others in California about the iron content on the beaches then. I heard the black sand is terrible. You do know the PI will find every piece of can slaw and nail also. In trashy areas it will be a nightmare. However, it will go deep and if your beaches are clean you can find some fantastic targets. Some love them. others hate them because there is no discrimination. I have no idea what your beaches are like
 

cactusman

Full Member
Nov 15, 2015
233
541
Western USA
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Gold, AT Max, AT Pro, Ace 350, GTI-2500, Infinium LS, Scorpion Gold Stinger, Pro-Pointer AT, Fisher F75 LTD2, Gold Bug 2, F-Pulse, Whites 24K, TM-808, Schonstedt Maggie, Falcon MD 20
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I chose the Garrett Sea Hunter MKII as you can swap out the coils and headphones. I use the 10x14 for wet sand for max depth, and the 8 inch for the surf, as it's easier to pin-point with and handle in the water.

As with any PI; be prepared to dig DEEP holes and a TON of trash! It's worth it, IMHO. Keep your VLF for the dry sand though.
 

MTJosh

Full Member
Jan 23, 2014
117
146
AZ & Deer Lodge, MT
Detector(s) used
AT Pro, Garrett propointer Sovereign GT
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I use Whites DFPI in CA. Research best for your area. Know a guy with garrett sea hunter. Haven't heard anything great about sand shark in CA. Good machine but locals not a fan of it. Be prepared to dig everything and deep. PI is needed in thick black sand areas in CA
 

CASPER-2

Gold Member
Jan 3, 2012
17,158
19,959
NEW ENGLAND
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
6
Detector(s) used
WHITE'S XLT, PI PRO, GARRETT 2500, 3- FISHER CZ21s, JW FISHER 8X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
PI is not an upgrade... re-think that,
I think it is if you want to get it all - I got my Pi in 1995 and went to bunch of spots - bunch of guys said were
cleaned out and had stopped going to - went in there with pI and got a lot of gold and silver 1 1/2 feet and deeper with it
but see 99% of hunters are spoiled by discrim. - I started out with TR machines that had no discrim. and dug it all for yrs
and even on land I went to schools and parks thought to be cleaned out by guys with high priced discriminating machines and
I would slow down and boost my sensitivity and get all kinds of old stuff deep they missed because they cranked their discrimination
and lost depth - or junk masked good stuff with - under or next to trash
if I were him - I'd try and find someone with an old Pi and see if they'd let him try it
I used mine for 10yrs and could tell you when I had a nail or bobby pin or a deep silver or gold target - its all about learning your machine
but I still dug it all and that's how I learned whats what -- but that's me ---I still hunt in all metal and try to get it all
in a perfect world I wish all hunters used PIs or hunted in all metal and dug it all - then all we'd have to worry about is the fresh junk drops
 

Da Sand Crab

Bronze Member
Sep 16, 2009
1,361
247
Far, Far Away
I always keep two Sand Sharks at the ready. That way I know I'll have a working one to use at all times.
I have benefited from the lifetime warranty service more than a few times. The last time I sent one in for new headphones they asked
me for proof of purchase to validate the warranty. I told them that that particular one was over ten years old and I bought it used from
ebay. I thought that would nullify the warranty but they said no problem and did all the work and returned it to me at no cost. In was stoked.
About 8 years ago, right before a hunt I changed the batteries. I didn't check the o-ring seal and jumped in the water. after a few minutes the
detector sound off out of control and then died. I noticed a tiny trail of bubbles coming from the corner of the box...yes, water leak. I quickly got
out of the water and ran to get a blow dryer at the nearest drug store. I thought, what the heck, nothing to lose. I dried it out and put it back together
and I swear against all odds, it fired back up and I went back to work. Solid, dependable and in my book the best.
 

OP
OP
Ace 250

Ace 250

Full Member
Jul 8, 2012
120
27
Detector(s) used
ACE 250
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Thanks for all the comments I am also look for something that can find gold
 

OP
OP
Ace 250

Ace 250

Full Member
Jul 8, 2012
120
27
Detector(s) used
ACE 250
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
As in nuggets
 

tony curnick

Sr. Member
Oct 14, 2014
274
163
Benoni
Detector(s) used
Garret At pro,Garret seahunter Mk 2,Minelab etrac,Minelab 305,one and a half surfmaster pi's
.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have a sea hunter MK 2, since I had it my gold count got alot better,the stock shaft sucks in full length configuration, I have fitted a carbon shaft as the stock shaft feels loose and gangly...
 

Fletch88

Silver Member
Mar 7, 2013
4,841
2,367
Valdosta, GA
Detector(s) used
Garrett ATPro- 8.5x11, 5x8, CORS Fotune 5.5x9.5
Tesoro Silver microMax- 8 donut, 8x11 RSD, 3x18 Cleansweep
Minelab Excalibur ll- 10" Tornado
Minelab CTX 3030
Minelab Xterra 305
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
As in nuggets

Then you need an SDC 2300, GPX 4500/5000 or TDI Pro/ SL. All the previous machines mentioned in this thread do not have ground balance and are not designed gold prospecting.
 

OP
OP
Ace 250

Ace 250

Full Member
Jul 8, 2012
120
27
Detector(s) used
ACE 250
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Ok cool thanks
 

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