Nugget Hunting Garret ATX or Minelab SDC 2300

[Horst]

Dear nugget hunters,

I just returned from my CA trip learning that my Whites GMT is no good on very hot ground. I am thinking about getting me a PI machine. Just watching many videos I cannot make up my mind between a Garret ATX with standard + 8" coil or a Minelab SDC 2300. I do want a very compact machine which is waterproof. I couldn't work the bedrock on the other side of the river as the water was pretty fast and if I drowned my GMT I would have lost a good bunch of money. All your help on making the right decision is highly appreciated.

 

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[Terry Soloman]

Having used both, I would choose the Garrett ATX if you're looking for bigger, deeper gold. If you are looking for smaller, more shallow gold, I would choose the Minelab.

 

[TerryC]

I have owned a GMT and found it works fine on hot ground in CA. I also still own a Fischer Gold Bug 2. The manual ground balance of the GB2 makes easy work of the hot rocks here. I, personally, would recommend the GB2 for gold detecting. It will find tiny gold better than any other detector. The PIs will find small gold but the PI's forté is DEPTH in highly mineralized ground. I'll take lots of small pieces that adds up to more than the very rare large nuggy any day! ╦╦Ç

(at less than 3 pounds, the GB2 is the lightest gold specific machine on the market, I believe.)

 

[Horst]

Dear friends,

many thanks for your kind feedback. I settled for the SDC 2300 and hope I did not make a mistake. Now I can't wait to try it out. I'll take it to the eastern part of Germany where we found a lot of VERY small specks but I know that there are a few nuggets around. The biggest one found in the last 20 years or so weighted + 9 grams. We'll see. If I find lead or iron it'll be worth washing some pans in this particular area.

AU to you

Horst

 

[bc5391]

You picked a good machine, but all the machines that were mentioned would have worked, I spent about 7 years in Germany and can say the ground is not as hot as the ground here in Arizona, I liked the GB2, but I am lazy and hate ground balancing every 5 min or so, the GMT is easy, the ATX is heavy.

 

[Oddjob]

8 gramer in Germany, man that is great and nothing to shake your head at.

Congrats on your new MD, and best of luck.

 

[Pool45]

I've changed metal detector several times, and the last time i came across this article 19(!) best metal detectors. The Definitive Guide and Reviews , they have clear comparison and a lot of easy info about plenty of models.
Maybe it will help somebody else!