Too many need HELP!!!!

rook · Oct 2, 2008

OK here it is. I am a newbie and really want to start MDing. I can only spend about 500 hundred dollars maybe a little bit more on a detector. I want to find coins,relics,jewelry,caches,etc. I live in Georgia and will predominantly be hunting fields,homesteads,old Church's schools campsites,etc. I am not interested in digging deeper than 24-36 inches, but I will be hunting sites that probably have alot of trash. I know that trash is part of it, but the less the better. i don't want to walk over a cache and the detector not hit for some odd reason . I would rather dig every target rather than miss a good one. So I am taking a poll on what detector would be the best. Please give me your opinion. As I said I am a novice ( never held a detector). Your opinion and advice are greatly appreciated.

Sandman · Oct 3, 2008

Hello Rook........There are many detectors to choose from in that price range and it depends on what features that are important to you and the amount of learning curve you would put up with. Suggest you visit the manufactures web sites for Garrett, Whites, Tesoro and Minelab to learn about their detectors and accessories like coils, etc.

For me to just name a model or brand may not suit your liking. If you have a dealer near you the visit will give you the chance to hold one in your hands to see what you like and don't like. Besides it's fun.....

mastereagle22 · Oct 3, 2008

Whites MXT or Tesoro Deleon.

Minelab makes a good machine in the Exterra 70.

BuckleBoy · Oct 3, 2008

Alright, folks who are replying to this post:

24-36 inches of depth.

littletwig · Oct 3, 2008

For the money and seeing as how you are new to tecting I would look long and hard at the whites M6 or MXT. Both have the same engine and are very simple to use. The M6 is really just a turn on and go that you can start hunting with almost as soon as you open the box. Really no learning curve except just learning what you machine is telling you. If you are really planning on hunting mostly coin/jewelery and some relics the M6 is all you will need. If you plan on doing some prospecting you might want to look more toward the MXT. Find a Whites dealer and vist with them. With either one of these machines you can't go wrong. Hope this helps. :thumbsup:

Michigan Badger · Oct 3, 2008

Howdy rook.

By your post it appears you're new to all this so we'll start with the basics.

First, no regular VLF coin detector gets anywhere near 20 inches depth. Most do well to get 10 inches on a buried coin sized target.

Probably the average coin depth potential is more like 6 inches deep for the very best machines made. Occasionally under ideal conditions you might dig a coin or 3-ringer bullet at 10+ inches but this is very rare.

You say you don't want to dig trash but you don't want to miss anything. The only way you can not miss anything (most things) is to dig everything (ferrous and nonferrous).

To stay under $500 smackers I'd recommend a deep machine that is also great for deep iron. The very best NEW models in this category would be the Silver uMax with 12x10 concentric coil. This setup can be had new for under $500. The stock coil is super for small coins down to about 6 inches and the 12x10 will reach 10 inches deep. The 12x10 is also awesome for deeper iron relics or potential caches.

You can get a used Silver uMax for about $150 and a used 12x10 coil for about $80 if you look around. This setup will come very close to matching the performance of machines costing over $1000 new.

Actually, any Tesoro would do the job. I wouldn't buy the Tesoro Compadre simply because it doesn't accept extra coils. I used the Tesoro DeLeon to hunt lumber camps and it was supreme. Again, most Tesoros are excellent for the type of hunting you mentioned.

Badger

Eu_citzen · Oct 3, 2008

I'll also add some basics.

I am not interested in digging deeper than 24-36 inches

Don't worry you probably won't. What Badger said.

but I will be hunting sites that probably have alot of trash. I know that trash is part of it, but the less the better. i don't want to walk over a cache and the detector not hit for some odd reason .

When there is much iron trash mixed in with coins you will get to experience the masking effect.

What this means?

Well, you don't want to dig iron most of the time thus you disc them out.

This means the detector will not give a beep on iron BUT it (the machine) needs some time to "recover" from discriminating out the signal and this is when you can miss a coin close to the iron piece thats been disc'ed out.

And with time I bet your not going to dig ALL signals. :tongue3:

Well since you ain't in Europe it might be hard to get a XP so I'd say look at all the major brands.

mastereagle22 · Oct 3, 2008

I just thought the 24 inch thing was a typo. My bad... :-[

Michigan Badger · Oct 3, 2008

Also, most good VLF machines can detect large iron objects the size of horseshoes down to 15+ inches deep. This depends on coil size, power, and discrimination setting of the unit.

I once dug a good length of 4" well pipe that was easily 30 inches deep. This was with a Nautilus IIb and 15 inch coil (as I recall). This pipe turned out to be empty but some old timers used to fill pipes with silver dollars and put caps on the ends.

So, if'n ya dig a pipe with end caps that's heavy and rattles--take it! Crap! take it even if it doesn't rattle :thumbsup:

Badger

deepskyal · Oct 4, 2008

You just never really know when it comes to depth.

A good, hefty chunk of iron I bet would sound off pretty darn good on most mid-range priced detectors at a 2' depth, if not more. It would all depend on your discrimination settings, soil.

I dug bits of old beer cans close to 18" that were mostly rotted away.....and that's just bits" A large 2' chunk...I can see it hitting a detector hard in an all metal mode. Not totally out of the question.

But...like was said...that's not going to be your norm.

Deepest coin I found was a Barber dime at about 8-9". Everything else I've dug deeper has been junk....but I still dig it. If I found a thin dime at 8"...I figure bigger objects can be found deeper.

I use a DFX now but have used the old Whites 3000 which was an old TR and dug iron deep. Nothing really has changed all that much in machines finding stuff. It's mostly bells and whistles now.

I've had a total of 4 White's detectors over the years, Ive been detecting since the early 80's. If I didn't like White's, I wouldn't keep buying them. Just keeping up with the times.
I hear lots of good stuff from others here about the performance of all their midrange lines.

Just don't expect to find bazillions of coins in your local parks or obvious historic places. We guys that have been around for some years have seen the decline in good finds. Now you gotta do some homework to make decent finds.

It's not going to be so much the detector you buy that's going to make a difference, it's going to be you and how you use it.

Al

SwampHunter · Oct 4, 2008

I am not really what you would call a novice, but I am still learning and still ask LOTS of questions before a new machine purchase.... like right now I am in the market for a new machine so I have lots of questions out there.

I have the Ace250 w/9x12, Tesoro Silver uMax w/10x12 coil and a Fisher 1265X(recently sold and repurchased).

While I like the Ace250 for hunting coins in parks, church yards and such I really don't care for it in heavy trash. That might change as I am going to purchase a sniper coil for this unit in the near future. I understand that I will loose a bit of depth by doing so, but the target seperation is much better. I have found lots of good stuff with the Ace250, but if I had to have just one machine it wouldn't be the Ace250. That's not saying it isn't a great machine, because it is. It's just not a great all around machine for me in my area.

I love my Tesoro Silver uMax. With the 10x12 coil I can get some really good depth. One time I found an old large stove lid at approx. 2 foot with it. With that being said I wouldn't get excited about such an accomplishment. Most good targets are not going to be the size of a stove lid. In fact the smaller the target the more depth you loose, and that's with any machine I have played with. I really like the Silver for my area. I can hunt everything I want with this machine and get some great depth.

I haven't spent enough time with the Fisher 1265x to really give it an honest assessment. It is a good machine and will find lots of nice items. It is alot older though and is no longer in production.

As with any machine the more time you spend with it the more you learn, and that is what you have to do. Sure you can buy a machine that will notch out all of the unwanted stuff and pick up items within a few inches of the top of the soil, but you are going to miss ALOT of other stuff that is deeper. There is no way around digging junk and LOTS of it, that is unless you cherry pick the shallow stuff. Right now I am in the market for an upgrade from the Ace250. I want a machine that will get great depth, notching abilities, target ID, etc. I know that Target ID isn't everything and I know notching leads to missed targets. There are times that I do want to cherry pick sites for the shallow stuff, but I also want the extra power there too in case I want to do more. Can't use it if you don't have it, right?

If you have a dealer in your area visit them. Test a few different brands and models. If you live in a detector dealer free zone like I do then you have to just pick a machine. Learn the machine. ALL of the treasure seeking machines on the market will find the good stuff, but you have to learn what the machine is telling you. Even then you will still dig your fair share of trash.

Right now I am trying to learn how metal detectors function and how I can use different things to my advantage for what I want to achieve.

Good luck on your purchase.