Should I upgrade my BH 505 ?

[Rustynailsandscrews]

I'm hoping to get some thoughts and opinions.
I have an old BH 505 with 4, 8 and 10" coils. I can hear all of you hissing and laughing !
I know the machine really well and there are no fancy programs to learn or know.
I have always had good luck with it and will hit quarters at 7 to 8 inches in my local soil.
I'm a hobbyist type and largely a coin hunter and if I find some jewelry that's always good to !
I have been thinking at getting an AT Pro for about a year now but as temping as the thought is I would have to re learn another machine that might confuse the !!!! out of me and it would be like throwing my old BH 505, friend away to sit in a closet.
I'm an old muffler on a stick type of guy and there is no ego's or need to keep up with Jones's here.
I would really hate to spend $550.00 on the AT Pro and have it end up setting in a closet because it's more then what I need.
I'm not around any salt water so I really don't need the AT Pro for that.
I have read a lot about DD coils and how much better they can be.
Should I just upgrade my BH 505 to a 11' DD coil for $130.00 ? The Fisher 11" DD ,F2/F4 will fit my BH 505.
Would the AT Pro at $550.00 really do that much more for me as far as depth ?
Is the discrimination really any better on an AT Pro ?
We all end up digging junk anyway because the machine is fooled by a shape or just a size of an object.
I know the AT Pro has a loyal following that can be found on any detecting site, with a new thread posted, " FOUND WITH AT AN PRO !!!! " It's funny in a way because only the AT Pro owners do that !
So give me your thoughts please especially from older folks who have owned more of an older basic detector like the BH 505 and then a AT Pro.
Remember that lights, whistles and sirens don't really mean much to me.
Guess the question boils down to spending $130.00 to $ 550.00 ?
Thanks for your thoughts on this.
__________________

 

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[CoinandRelicMan]

Shop around , it just depends on how serious you are about the hobby, like Sandy says time is the one thing you cannot get back, why waste time ?

 

[Phantasman]

I'll give you MY thoughts, since you asked.

The 505 is a good machine. It sounds like you want to try the newer machines for any ease and improvements over the older 6.6 khz BHs. But You want to make sure $550 is a good investment and returns an experience worth the bucks. And you want to experience a wide scan (DD) coil in the process to better your chances on depth and ID.

While the AT Pro is the kid on the block everyone is talking about, let me offer another option for your consideration.

The new Land Ranger Pro may fit the bill a little better. It can be found new for around $260 and has a lot of the same offerings you are seeking. It comes with a 11" DD coil standard. It has TID numerics like the AT Pro to help further define whats under the ground. It has 3 preset modes (Coins, Jewelry and Artifacts) to start you off quick with Sensitivity and Volume adjustments. It also has 3 customizable modes that can be saved in memory. It has an AM mode that will use the TID as well. It has Ground Grab and manual ground balance. And it is light (2.3 lbs) and has a fast recovery rate.

The new BH LRP takes the Bounty Hunter into the newer line up enjoyed by Teknetics and the new Fishers (F11,F22 and F44). It's worth checking out with the video I have listed in the BH threads here.

Also, if you want to spend a hundred dollars more, check out the new F44 video here:



It doesn't have segment descriptors or a stock DD coil, but it seems like a powerful and well engineered machine.

Just giving you lower cost options of newer technology.

 

[robs]

I'll give you MY thoughts, since you asked.

The 505 is a good machine. It sounds like you want to try the newer machines for any ease and improvements over the older 6.6 khz BHs. But You want to make sure $550 is a good investment and returns an experience worth the bucks. And you want to experience a wide scan (DD) coil in the process to better your chances on depth and ID.

While the AT Pro is the kid on the block everyone is talking about, let me offer another option for your consideration.

The new Land Ranger Pro may fit the bill a little better. It can be found new for around $260 and has a lot of the same offerings you are seeking. It comes with a 11" DD coil standard. It has TID numerics like the AT Pro to help further define whats under the ground. It has 3 preset modes (Coins, Jewelry and Artifacts) to start you off quick with Sensitivity and Volume adjustments. It also has 3 customizable modes that can be saved in memory. It has an AM mode that will use the TID as well. It has Ground Grab and manual ground balance. And it is light (2.3 lbs) and has a fast recovery rate.

The new BH LRP takes the Bounty Hunter into the newer line up enjoyed by Teknetics and the new Fishers (F11,F22 and F44). It's worth checking out with the video I have listed in the BH threads here.

Also, if you want to spend a hundred dollars more, check out the new F44 video here:

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvBtqHVRqoI

It doesn't have segment descriptors or a stock DD coil, but it seems like a powerful and well engineered machine.

Just giving you lower cost options of newer technology.

I Agree. I have both the BH505 with the 8inch coil, and the LRP with 11dd. How the 10 coil compares on the BH 505 vs the 8 inch I don't know. The LRP is more user friendly, faster recovery, has a pinpointer and gives more target information. So, a comparison between the LRP and the AT pro might be the next step in deciding between the 2. I'm guessing the major difference between the 2 is that the AT Pro is water proof, the LRP is not.

 

[G.I.B.]

Yes

 

[Btoots]

Hi, I'm a new digger and had the BH. I found a new friend that dug and his minlab was getting all the goods so I bought the AT Pro. Man what a difference it made for me. I don't keep up with the Jones' either, just the minlab.... I'm also not and AT Pro Hack. Bottom line is that gives me a much better result and the double D coil that comes with it works great. It is really easy to use and interpret. It may be the thing everyone is talking about, and there may be a reason for that.....

 

[Opie]

Rusty, If you are really in tune with the machine then why not try a DD coil for it. So many have to have the latest and greatest, if you know that machine well and it sounds like you do. Do the smaller investment and add the DD coil.
You can get the Fisher F2-F4 11" DD for it like you say, also NEL makes several sizes and models for the Bounty Hunter line.
I have a AT Pro, I also use a Fisher F70, I still use a Fisher F2 with a DD coil and my favorite for the heavy salt around and in The Great Salt Lake is my old Bounty Hunter Tracker IV with a NEL Hunter DD coil on it.
I will tell you the machines are just that, machines. Bells and whistles are bells and whistles.
The ATP will not get any more targets than your 505. The Fisher F70 or F75 will not perform any better than your 505.
There is no "Better" machine. What there is and there is plenty of this in this sport, its "Different" machines.
Different machines do "Different" things. The major difference in my Fisher F2 and F70 is ground balance, among other things, but if I just turn on my F70 and don't ground balance it. Its no different than my F2.
505 is a very stable platform and still a very capable one. I wouldn't hesitate to try any good quality DD coil on it.
Good luck and stay Gold!!

 

[MD-Mainiac]

You may also want to look into the BH Platinum. It is their top of line machine. Works great..
just so happens I am selling one in the classifieds.