Which detector is best for cw relic hunting

[vadigger89]

I have been detecting for about two years now. I have a whites mxt. I live in northern virginia where the soil is pretty hot. I was jw what machine would be best for hunting relics in my area. Thanks.

 

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[Dwight S]

If you have a good understanding of the MXT, it can be set up to work in Northern Virginia. Depth should be around 6" to 8" on bullets & buttons. I have a friend that uses a DXF up there and gets about the same depth with his. Both of these machines are good for relics.

A Pulse Induction machine is really what you want if you do a lot of hot dirt detecting.

If you have the budget, get the Minelab GPX-4800. That machine properly set up will get you bullets and buttons at 12"-16". It can be set up with some iron descrimination as well. It's a hot dirt, relic hunter's dream machine. (If I have the money, this is the one I'd get)

If that's a little too expensive, either a White's TDI or a Garrett Infinium L/S will be better than a VLF, but they don't have any real descrimination, so you'll dig lots of iron. But up in that hot dirt, sometimes what sounds like iron isn't iron...

 

[Dwight S]

If money is a factor, I'd go with the Tesoro Vaquero. You can pick up this great detector for a little over $400.00. I live in Colorado and the Vaquero works excellent in this decomposed granite here in Colorado. The Vaquero will even find gold. The Vaquero is the next generation of the Tesoro El Dorado which they no longer make.

The Tesoro detectors are great, but for where he is hunting, Pulse Induction is the best option. I have heard more than one seasoned relic hunter say that the Tesoro isn't the detector to use in Northern Virginia.

The dirt up there is so mineralized that if you turn on your pinpointer and place it on the dirt it will scream just like the target is right there. VLF detectors have to be ground balanced often and tweaked to the very edge of stability to get them to detect more than a couple of inches.

I should have tossed the Technetics/Fisher T2/F75 detectors in the mix as well. While not as deep as a PI, they are also pretty popular with the relic hunters of N-VA.

 

[CSA2K]

I've been hunting in NOVA with a Minelab Explorer for 12yrs.. primarily in central/south Fauquier Co where the soil is very hot. A small amount of iron mask and lower sensitivity works fine for me. I've dug holes that are so hot that my pinpointer screams once inside but they are few and far between. Getting a feel your machine is the biggest factor.

 

[vadigger89]

Thanks for the information everyone. I have been told the whites tdi and the minelab are good detectors for this area before.

 

[Frankn]

There are plenty of good detectors for relic hunting. It all boils down to how much are you willing to spend on a detector and how deep do you want to dig.