Updated January Totals - More buttons and bullets

[dcooper1]

Here's some updated pictures of my January totals. I did get out one more time on Wednesday afternoon for a few more hours. I carried both my XLT and DFX with me. I have been using old faithful (the XLT) but want to try to get back into the DFX. I finished the grid pattern I had started during the last hunt. After completing the grid, I started wondering back thru the area that I had already hunted with the XLT, and picked up quite a few more items that I had missed.

 

[BuckleBoy]

WOW! That's enough great relics in a month to make ANY relic hunter drool.

Nice Work!


-Buckleboy

 

[dcooper1]

These came from 3 different sites that I worked this month. I probably went out 6, maybe 7 times. The longest hunt was for most of a day (about 8 hours) but the other hunts were around 3 hours. each. I know there are a lot more items at these three sites, I just need more time to get out!!!!

 

[ANGELaLEIGH]

Congrats, nice finds for the month!
~Angela

 

[TooManyHobbies]

those 3ringers are in remarkable shape. I would think they would be distorted from hitting rocks, dirt, or whatever else. They look like they were dropped on the ground instead of fired from a musket.

 

[dcooper1]

those 3ringers are in remarkable shape. I would think they would be distorted from hitting rocks, dirt, or whatever else. They look like they were dropped on the ground instead of fired from a musket.

TooManyHobbies,
Almost all of the bullets are considered "drops" except for a couple on the very top row. If you could imagine carrying around at least 20+ of these LEAD weights, either in the issued cartridge box (if you were luck enough to have one) or in your pockets, it would have been quite heavy, probably wearing a hole and falling out on the ground. A lot are also found around camp areas, as most of mine were. They possibly fell out of a pocket/cartridge box, or often from where they would sit around and make bullets, indicated by the chunks of lead often found and referred to as "camp lead".
Some of my bullets appear to have been chewed on, as you can see what appear to be teeth marks on them, often a practice during "surgical" events.

 

[ModernMiner]

DC,
Man, am I jealous! Beautiful display of relics. Congrats. Do I see an eagle on that large round item in the center?
Great job.
-MM-

 

[dcooper1]

DC,
Man, am I jealous! Beautiful display of relics. Congrats. Do I see an eagle on that large round item in the center?
Great job.
-MM-

MM,
Yes, it is an eagle. There were basically 3 different "plates" that the troops had, A sword belt plate (if they had a sword), a cartridge box plate, and a "regular" belt plate.
This one is a sword belt plate.
I will try to post some more pictures, I tried originally but it made my file too big.

Good Luck, and HAVE FUN!!!!

 

[ModernMiner]

Thanks DC.
Great relics!!! Congrats on some wonderful finds.
-MM-

 

[kindafoundabuckle]

Whats the deal with the DFX? I thought it was supposed to be a better machine. Is it the machine or a learning curve? Im thinking of moving up to the DFX from my XLT but now you have me wondering!

KFB

 

[dcooper1]

KFB.
I certainly would not say there is anything wrong with the DFX. I have had my first XLT for about 8 years now. I feel like I know it pretty darn well, have founds tons of stuff with it.

I bought the DFX about 2 years ago. Used it a little but back then I didn't have as much time to hunt so I didn't use it as much. If I had time to dig, I wanted to DIG, not take the time to learn how to use the thing, and there are a few differences between the two that you really need to learn.

I have recently started reading a lot and trying to figure out the DFX. I took both the other day because I was going WAY back in the woods to my spot, If I got all the way back there and the thing started acting up and costing me too much time instead of actually digging, then I wanted to be able to go back to "old faithful".

If you have used a machine for a while, and are familiar with the basics of detecting, then I would probably recommend the DFX. I feel it is a top of the line machine with a LOT of flexibility. When I started with mine the other day, I changed several of the settings and was digging like crazy!!!!! It seemed to run pretty stable even while extremely sensitive. And as mentioned earlier today, I went back over some of the area I had covered with the XLT and found some stuff I had missed.

On a similar note, my brother talked to someone at Whites about the DFX settings (frequency in particular), he recommended the 15k setting only. I changed my machine to the 15K only to try it. I got a signal that I thought was a bullet, I then switched to the dual frequency - best data mode and got an even better signal. If you need more clarification on the 2 different frequencies/operating mode, whites website has a good video.

Hope this helps.

 

[hikermike]

Excellent finds!! You have got some killer spots to hunt! Keep us posted on your upcoming finds!
h.h.
mikr

 

[dcooper1]

Mike,
I just talked to my brother. We are going out for the day tomorrow. Don't think I will be able to hunt my best spot because it has rained a TON here since last night!!!!!

I have several other places that I need to check out, will probably do that tomorrow. It is supposed to be about 50 degrees and sunny tomorrow!!! I probably won't sleep tonight!!!

 

[kindafoundabuckle]

KFB.
I certainly would not say there is anything wrong with the DFX. I have had my first XLT for about 8 years now. I feel like I know it pretty darn well, have founds tons of stuff with it.

I bought the DFX about 2 years ago. Used it a little but back then I didn't have as much time to hunt so I didn't use it as much. If I had time to dig, I wanted to DIG, not take the time to learn how to use the thing, and there are a few differences between the two that you really need to learn.

I have recently started reading a lot and trying to figure out the DFX. I took both the other day because I was going WAY back in the woods to my spot, If I got all the way back there and the thing started acting up and costing me too much time instead of actually digging, then I wanted to be able to go back to "old faithful".

If you have used a machine for a while, and are familiar with the basics of detecting, then I would probably recommend the DFX. I feel it is a top of the line machine with a LOT of flexibility. When I started with mine the other day, I changed several of the settings and was digging like crazy!!!!! It seemed to run pretty stable even while extremely sensitive. And as mentioned earlier today, I went back over some of the area I had covered with the XLT and found some stuff I had missed.

On a similar note, my brother talked to someone at Whites about the DFX settings (frequency in particular), he recommended the 15k setting only. I changed my machine to the 15K only to try it. I got a signal that I thought was a bullet, I then switched to the dual frequency - best data mode and got an even better signal. If you need more clarification on the 2 different frequencies/operating mode, whites website has a good video.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I feel better now about moving up to the DFX. I have had my XLT for at least 10 years and Im sure there are going to be days where I wished I had it back! Once I get over the learning curve I should be okay. My problem is I must sell my XLT to have some cash for the DFX purchase so I will not have old faithfull to fall back on!

KFB

 

[xlt nh]

Kind of a 'Catch-22'...you want to move up, but to fund the move you have to sell the machine you know and love...

I think I've found my 'soul mate' of sorts with my XLT...I've put my heart and soul into learning as much as I can about her, and find there's always something new to try and adjustments that can be made. Don't think I'll ever trade her in...

Did you try 'mixed mode' at all before covering with the DFX? Curious....if you ever get the chance try it out first before the DFX...I think you'll be surprised. Once I learned about Mixed Mode I went back to many sites that I beat to death with the XLT in factory modes that had been tweaked here and there...and I was shocked as to what I passed over.

Then I put the 5.3 Coil on and hit it again...yep, more and more targets...

So....GREAT FINDS!!!! Absolutely love the buttons, plate, bullets....what a site you're diggin!!

Best of Luck,
Hank 8)

 

[birdman]

A buddy of mine and some of his hunting partners found a virgin campsite in 1990 and he had a shadow box set up that looked about like yours .Every time I went by his house I would look at the finds in amazement. He took me there after they hunted it out and after two hours of hunting we only found one drop bullet. They were finding buttons on top of the ground on there first trip out. Fantastic digs ,something to be very proud of!

 

[dcooper1]

Thanks for all the great replies.
I usually hunt with my machine in Mixed Mode, unless there is too much trash, then of course I have to let it discriminate some of the junk out. The last site I hunted, where a lot of the stuff came from was pretty much JUNK FREE. The newest item I found was a shotgun shell, 4 1/2" deep, It was pretty darn old.

I have an opposite experience with mixed mode being turned on. When I first got my XLT the shop loaded a custom program in it that included the mixed mode turned on. During the first several months I hunted a site AROUND an old house, by around I mean I couldn't any closer than about 150' to the foundation without my machine going crazy with signals, so bad that I couldn't dig, there was just too much metal in the ground to distinguish the good from the bad. For those of you who don't know, the XLT and DFX have a Mixed Mode where both the motion (a/c discriminate mode) and the non-motion (d/c non discriminate mode) operate together, at the same time. It is helpful in some situations and harmful in others, you just need to know when to turn it on/off. If you are hunting an area without a lot of trash then you should hunt with the mixed mode on. That will allow you to pick up weaker signals that the A/C discriminate mode would otherwise not recognize (and ignore). Anyway, after I did some learning on my XLT I figured out that I could turn off the D/C mode during normal hunting and only get the "good" signals. The first day I went back after figuring it out I cleaned up!!!! I came out with piles of stuff!!!!

This last spot I hunted first with my XLT with mixed mode on. Then a few days later, I hunted it again with the DFX (with mixed mode on also). I am pretty certain that the only reason I found some of the additional items was because of the DFX. If you haven't already, you need to check out the video on whites website about the dual operating frequencies and the advantage of one over the other. I tried to copy the link directly to it but couldn't actually see the link when it came up.
I am certain this area has been hunted before, just not too good, maybe with a different machine, or by someone with no patience. Almost EVERY bullet that I dug was 5.5 to 6 and some 7". Most of the buttons were about 4.5", the plate was only about 3.5" (they must have missed that spot!!!). After I found the first Civil War item I immediately began methodically searching the area in a grid pattern. I still need to go back there and search perpendicular to the my original pattern as I know I will find more stuff.

As far as my February totals...........not so great. Went out today to scan a few areas that I thought for sure we would hit a good hot spot. Almost got "skunked" as I only found one bullet and a scabbard tip. Definitely makes you appreciate the good days!!!!

 

[xlt nh]

Well done with the explanation on the workings of both machines...and I am glad that you are aware and use both modes, which for most (myself included) came better late than never.

I found I could only get next to houses in MM with the smaller 5.3" Coil sweeping super slow to try and pick up one metal target at a time. It's very time consuming, but with tons of patience has really paid off in some occasions. I don't get as much depth as with a normal swing, but have still found keepers with square iron nails in the same hole at 6".

Your finds are awesome...keep it up!
~Hank 8)

 

[dcooper1]

Hank,
I too have a much smaller coil and a much bigger coil. I have tried both but not with much success. I tried the larger coil one day when I was doing a large area search trying find a hot spot. I ended up finding a standing chimney in the woods. Of course there were TONS of targets around it so the large coil drove me crazy. I did manage to find an old "civilian" bridal rosette. I ended up getting a little ways from the house and using it with some success. I have recently installed the larger coil on my XLT again since I have started using the DFX again. The coil will only work on the XLT. I plan on taking the larger coil on the XLT to the spot where I dug the bullets last time. Hopefully I will be able to pick up some more deep stuff.

 

[DaChief]

I need to visit Virginia!

You have done well.

Jim