Short hunt today and another handful of colonial with a VMI mixed in!!

[HomeGuardDan]

Being off of work today Bill and I (Bill being retired is off every day!) decided to get a short hunt in at our recent site. Not having an entire day can mix your plan up a bit, but we decided to just hunker down and eak out some more targets.

Did not do particularly bad for a half day, digging just short of a dozen buttons, including the Virginia Military Institute cadet button (ca. 1850s). It was actually my next to last target of the day, and made me happy! ha ha.

I also dug a cool little key, the usual colonial do-dads and a portion of some sort of measuring device (pictured with key). It has multiple lines, one I can make out "40" (middle) the bottom line has "130" "120." I know I have seen these before, but just can not remember. Lead has also been very prevalent at this site, dug two .36 colts, a handful of smaller round balls w(.36-.42) with sprus still attached and two .60 round balls.

I love that the majority of the buttons we are finding here are VERY early with other early brass mixed in. Bill had a decent day as well and saved our coin streak, while I saved our military button streak. Will let him post his.

HH

Dan

 

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[Steve in PA]

Nice hunt Dan. Very cool key! It seems that site has a good 200 years of occupation, so there was plenty of time to lose items.

 

[hdmech71]

Wow, those are some killer buttons. Was you using the f75?

 

[HomeGuardDan]

Wow, those are some killer buttons. Was you using the f75?

Was using the AT Gold...love that machine in heavy iron. Everything I have found as of late have been using that machine.

Dan

 

[aquachigger]

Sweet diggings Dan. Only one hunt late with the CS button

 

[HomeGuardDan]

Sweet diggings Dan. Only one hunt late with the CS button

True...but you were technically a part of this one

Dan

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Not a bad half day's hunt Dan. I didn't dig nearly the number of buttons that you did, but at least I salvaged the day with a coin (which I'll post tomorrow). Also, I dug an item the other day almost exactly the same as the one in your 3rd pic (the one with the lines). I never bothered to look at it closely and almost pitched it. I'll check mine out and get back with ya. And congrats on your VMI button. I knew you had something good when I looked up and saw you walking toward me with both your arms raised over your head along with that big grin. Enjoyed the comradery again as usual.

 

[HomeGuardDan]

Not a bad half day's hunt Dan. I didn't dig nearly the number of buttons that you did, but at least I salvaged the day with a coin (which I'll post tomorrow). Also, I dug an item the other day almost exactly the same as the one in your 3rd pic (the one with the lines). I never bothered to look at it closely and almost pitched it. I'll check mine out and get back with ya. And congrats on your VMI button. I knew you had something good when I looked up and saw you walking toward me with both your arms raised over your head along with that big grin. Enjoyed the comradery again as usual.

Yea man, they add up, I honestly thought I was in the 8-10 category, which was right, but the VMI & that small flat button bumped me up he he. I guess you ID'd my excitment pose ha ha, you've seen it enough by now.

As always had a blast and ready for the next time.

Dan

 

[BuckleBoy]

Wow, a VMI is a great button to find. It was on the top of my list while I lived in VA. (HMA would've been much better, but no hope of that in my area).

Cheers,

Buck

 

[HomeGuardDan]

Wow, a VMI is a great button to find. It was on the top of my list while I lived in VA. (HMA would've been much better, but no hope of that in my area).

Cheers,

Buck

Thanks Buck...it was on my wish list as well. Been fortunate to find a few HMAs over the years, but I grew up and lived in NC until two years ago.

Dan

 

[VaMark]

Nice Finds Dan!! See ya at DIV!

 

[Steve in PA]

Was using the AT Gold...love that machine in heavy iron. Everything I have found as of late have been using that machine.

Dan

I bought an AT Gold this summer and I just got the larger coil. Up here I still like my trusty F75, but I am hoping the AT Gold will work in Culpeper in the All Metal mode. I have a couple sites around here that I'm gonna revisit with the AT Gold. I was wondering if you are hunting in All Metal or Disc?

 

[HomeGuardDan]

I bought an AT Gold this summer and I just got the larger coil. Up here I still like my trusty F75, but I am hoping the AT Gold will work in Culpeper in the All Metal mode. I have a couple sites around here that I'm gonna revisit with the AT Gold. I was wondering if you are hunting in All Metal or Disc?

Hey Steve,

I hunt in both all metal (with Disc set around 15-20) and in Disc mode with the disc set about the same. I leave iron audio on until I am in heavy iron and then turn it off (I like hearing most iron, but found that when it is heavy, you can hear the iffy signals a bit better). In all cases I max my sensativity out and GB as high as I can stand it.

Unfortunately, I do not think you will be too happy with using it in Culpeper, it does work, but just like an VLF you lose a ton of depth. The best VLF machines to use in hot ground are manual ground balance threshold machines, you basicaly ignore the VDI screen but listen for changes in threshold that sound solid or consistant. My Whites Blue & Gray was great for this before I went for a TDI. The T2 works very much the same, and you can use the F75 this way but I have seen it be more difficult than the T2.

In a housesite, the Gold is the best in my eyes, you still get good depth with the 5x7" coil (Dug my VMI at 8 inches and my hammered shilling at close to a foot) and the target seperation is amazingly fast.

Dan

 

[Steve in PA]

Hey Steve,

I hunt in both all metal (with Disc set around 15-20) and in Disc mode with the disc set about the same. I leave iron audio on until I am in heavy iron and then turn it off (I like hearing most iron, but found that when it is heavy, you can hear the iffy signals a bit better). In all cases I max my sensativity out and GB as high as I can stand it.

Unfortunately, I do not think you will be too happy with using it in Culpeper, it does work, but just like an VLF you lose a ton of depth. The best VLF machines to use in hot ground are manual ground balance threshold machines, you basicaly ignore the VDI screen but listen for changes in threshold that sound solid or consistant. My Whites Blue & Gray was great for this before I went for a TDI. The T2 works very much the same, and you can use the F75 this way but I have seen it be more difficult than the T2.

In a housesite, the Gold is the best in my eyes, you still get good depth with the 5x7" coil (Dug my VMI at 8 inches and my hammered shilling at close to a foot) and the target seperation is amazingly fast.

Dan

Thanks Dan, I hardly have any time on this machine, but I thought it would be nice to have a waterproof machine that I could use in water or in wet rainy conditions. I have a TDI for Culpeper which is killer on buttons, but I am struggling with the low tones on that machine. I was hoping the AT Gold in All Metal would be a viable option in Culpeper.

 

[PEles]

great hunt bud , congrats on the VMI!

Pete

 

[HomeGuardDan]

Nice Finds Dan!! See ya at DIV!

Thanks Mark, looking forward to it!

 

[CASPER-2]

Nice Haul

 

[dig kzoo]

Great finds, Love the key!

 

[okerraine]

Wow that's a significant find you got there congratulations

 

[HomeGuardDan]

Great finds, Love the key!

Thanks dig - I like it too, actually probably my second favorite find of the trip!