Newb to metal detecting - some advice appreciated

[DaveC19]

Hi,

I have yet to get into this hobby in full but it all sounds interesting, and a bit confusing on models and types of detectors and which is best. The more I read about detectors the more questions arise. My background: I do like to be outside and do walk and bike a lot so that isn't an issue. I would like a detector that I can grow into and not out of. If I am going to go out and swing I might as well swing something I like. Complexity is not a big issue as learning the machine is part of the hobby. I had a cheap toy detector as a kid and liked it, somewhat, but no pull tab, bottle cap, rusty nail, or smashed beer can was safe around me. My biggest "treasure" was a clad quarter. Admittedly the detector I had was a toy and I should have kept the bottle cap and buried the detector. Now I am looking to get back into it, or really just get into it as what I had before probably didn't count. I don't expect to get rich from it, just have fun(although finding a hoard of coins would be nice) . With the information below I hope someone could recommend some make and model.

Budget: Not fixed but I would like to keep it under $2000. I know some go for 5K and up, too rich for my blood.

Detecting targets: Gold/silver/copper coins, jewelry, relics. No gold nuggets as I live in Illinois, no nuggets here.

Land type: Dirt and clay. I am not near an ocean so no saltwater detecting will be done. Mostly will be farm fields, cellar holes, abandoned sites. If any beaches were to be hunted they would be fresh water, near lakes.

Machine type: From the ones I have seen I like the ones with an LCD screen with lots of info on them. Obviously good discrimination capabilities are welcome. The less pull tabs I find the better. Let the pop tops rest in peace.

Coil types: I see a whole lot of options there. Where I am there will probably be lots of iron junk. Does that mean smaller is better? With smaller though I will probably miss more though right? What sizes are a good compromise? Do I need two coils?

Thanks Much for any info.

 

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[Liu21]

AT Pro, 5x8 coil, and get the new Garrett AT ProPointer. Pulltab is anywhere from 53-59 on the VID, BUT so is a gold ring....

 

[Landlord Jim]

Another one to look at is the White's MXT Pro with the 950 coil, a 4X6 coil and a TRX pinpointer.

 

[MrMikeJackie]

Look into the CTX3030. Packages now come with 2 extra coils, pinpointer, and other accessories to get you started.

 

[Sandman]

Landlord Jim's suggestion makes lots more sense than AT Pro which has quality issues (not all are the same).
MXT will be great choice.

 

[Digging Deeper]

Whites V3i was a good detector for me when I got back into the hobby. I used the display a lot when I first got it and the factory programs served well until I learned to make adjustments and major changes. It's great machine for the money and like any good machine will take time to learn. The AT Pro is one I like as well for its durability but in my opinion it's not one to grow into. Good luck and hope you find one you like.

HH

 

[Terry Soloman]

You sound like a Minelab Safari man to me Safari | Minelab Treasure Metal Detectors

 

[Captain Caveman]

If I had $2k to spend on a machine, I would buy a Minelab E-Trac.

 

[cudamark]

i second the E-trac, especially if you're after deep silver. Get a couple extra coils. For field use (15" WOT or NEL) and a small sniper coil (Sunray X-5 or Coiltek 6") for junky areas. Another good machine that especially good for relic hunting is the Fisher F75. If being waterproof is needed, The AT Pro is about the only machine in your price range.

 

[goldnugget]

I have an E-Trac, used it so far for over 100 hours, all I know for sure is how to turn it on and off. As mentioned I dug a few Silver deeper than I have found for the Past 30 years.

 

[DaveC19]

Thanks for the info guys. I will add that being waterproof is not an necessity. I did a search on a site "metaldetectorreviews.net" where I could plug in a price and spec and it spit out a list.

This is most of what I got (I eliminated a few redundant ones):

Whites Spectra VX3 - depth of 9"

Deus XP - depth of 13-14"

Whites Spectra V3 and V3i - depth of 12"

Minelab E-TRAC - depth of 10"

Minelab Explorer II - depth of 11"

So according to that list it seems the "Deus" one has the most depth and fast recovery. It is also very light (weighs in at less than 2 lbs) and inconspicuous (some detectors look as if you are swinging a panzerschreck ). The downside seems to be price as it ain't cheap, and lacks having allot of accessories like the more popular brands. If one could be found used on ebay though might be worth considering, I do like the form factor, depth, and weight.

The V3i looks kind of big heavy and bulky but seems to review well and has good depth.

The e-trac looks decent but I wasn't impressed with the depth at only 10", seems a bit weak compared to others, maybe that info is not right? It got some mixed reviews on the site, it seems you either love it or hate it. It gets praise here by seasoned MDers and is pretty common (good to get accessories for) so I will keep it in the short list.

The Explorer II seems to have better depth than the e-trac and is cheaper? Not sure what the catch is there.

The Safari wasn't mentioned on that list, how does that compare to the above ones?


Does anyone have any comments to this? Has someone used all of these to compare?

Thanks again.

 

[Terry Soloman]

None of that info is correct. There is a lot of hype and lies online. Depth can be different in different soils and sands. The Deus doesn't get depth anywhere near 14". Do Your Own Homework, and then buy an Explorer, a Safari, or an E-Trac.

 

[Carolina Tom]

XP Deus .. it's kind of a secret. The old school guys prefer Minelabs, but the most successful hunters on TNet use a Deus.

With a $2K budget, you can get a real machine right out of the shoot. Instead of "upgrading" several times in the first year. Etrac is good, but it has a cord, and it weighs as much as a sledge hammer. CTX is really nice, wireless, waterproof, but heavy also. Deus... light, wireless, fast... and it finds treasure!

Best of luck to you!

 

[MrMikeJackie]

99% of the time you're going to pass right over a target that's 10+ inches deep and not dig it. These aren't analog machines, and won't hear "whispers". You will get a bunch on nonsense on you're screen and a bunch of diff sounds, mostly sounding like iron and you will move on. Above choices are all good, I had most of them or been around them. I can honestly say in my experience the Minelabs are finding the deeper (8-10 inch) better targets. Many guys around here are making the switch. I can't speak for Tesoro as no one here uses them. Whites are ok but way too much programming and tweaking going on. Many use the Whites machines here on LI and many are switching to Minelab. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Metal Detecting Stuff]

Detectors are a bit like cars, some like Fords, others like Chevy. That being said, your picks above will serve you well. Every detector is different, they are like tools in the toolbox. Pick the right tool for the right job. The XP Deus excels in trashy iron sites, but ID numbers tend to disappear at depth. The Minelab E-Trac is good in mineralized soil and depth, but requires a slower swing speed. The Fisher F75 LTD and Makro Racer are fast response , also good for separating targets.

As others have said , mineralization of soil and detector features will affect depth. But based on where you are hunting, these machines will all serve their purpose.

Wayne

Metal Detector Sales Rental | Treasure Hunting | Metal Detecting Stuff

 

[DaveC19]

Detectors are a bit like cars, some like Fords, others like Chevy. That being said, your picks above will serve you well. Every detector is different, they are like tools in the toolbox. Pick the right tool for the right job. The XP Deus excels in trashy iron sites, but ID numbers tend to disappear at depth. The Minelab E-Trac is good in mineralized soil and depth, but requires a slower swing speed. The Fisher F75 LTD and Makro Racer are fast response , also good for separating targets.

As others have said , mineralization of soil and detector features will affect depth. But based on where you are hunting, these machines will all serve their purpose.

Wayne

Metal Detector Sales Rental | Treasure Hunting | Metal Detecting Stuff

Ok so basically I would narrow it down to a Minelab model or the Deus. Which Minelab if I went that way (the CTX looks like a killer machine but a bit rich for my blood at $2.5K, the e-trac or Deus can be had for around $1.2K. Maybe if I hit a coin hoard I could upgrade) ? I am guessing if I went with Minelab it would be e-trac. As I stated I would be mostly detecting in fields and abandoned sites, maybe a little fresh water beaches. The soil here is black dirt, no mineralized from what I know. I would guess the sites would be pretty full of iron though especially if it is a farm field. Lots of farm equipment fall-offs I bet. When you say the Deus ID numbers "disappear at depth", what depth are you talking? 2"? 10"? In that case I could be digging a lot of trash instead of treasure? Do all these machines have comparable depth capabilities for silver and jewelery. if not what are the differences?

Also I see different size coils, is it safe to say the bigger ones go deeper?

Thanks Much.

 

[TerryC]

Whatever you get, buy from a vender here on Tnet. Why? They are for one, one of us. Second, they will live with the decision and hear about their sales, good or bad. Get a "hands on" if you can. TTC

 

[Phantasman]

I'm surprised the F75 wasn't on the list. Of the many Whites and Deux, I find many who resell them after a short time of usage, except for the MXT Pro. Same with the AT Pro. I don't see many F75s for resale.

This just tells me that the $2000 units don't offer anything more advantageous than the $1000 units. The MXT Pro and F75 fits the parameters of the OP perfectly, IMHO.

Metaldetectorreviews is not checked for accuracy. You can say a detector is deep and good without even owning or using it. You can down a detector just as easy. If you want to know about a detector, talk to someone who owns one on this forum. I get PMs all the time about my LRP and QDP. But prefer talking on the threads where truth can be debated.

 

[cudamark]

The F75 was on MY list. With it and the Minelabs, you'll find a lot more coil options than you will with the Deus. Something to keep in mind when changing search areas.

 

[DaveC19]

All of the suggestions were good, thanks. I narrowed it down to the e-trac and the Deus. Not that others aren't good (That F75 does look good too, so many choices). they all seem to have advantages as well as quirks. In the end I ended up with the Deus. I ordered it from Bart here as the price was really good, almost half of that 2K price point. I don't have it yet so I will see how it goes. While after reading info here I came to the conclusion that overall the e-trac was a bit better machine than the Deus, I had other considerations that nudged it the XP way. For me in Illinois I will probably be hunting allot of farm fields and sites that are traditionally riddled with iron junk. The Deus seems to do well with that. Also due to the compact collapsible nature I can just fold the thing up and stash it in a bag, backpack, or even leave it in a small car trunk compartment. If I happen to come across a site to hunt it will be at the ready. It is also discrete, there is not much bulk to it so it won't attract much attention. It is light, I am not a big muscle-y dude so I can swing the Deus longer and faster (due to good response time) without getting as fatigued and therefore cover more ground in the same amount of time. I figure if I can hunt longer and faster, and be more inclined to do so it will make up for it not being quite as good as some others. I also liked the modular approach and the ability to upgrade firmwares if there are any improvements. I will see how it goes, I can always sell it later and get an e-trac if I find I hate the Deus, I am not married to it. From what others have said though it seems there almost is a reason to have both, but I am not there yet. After I find that coin hoard then I may add a CTX to the mix.

Thanks again.