Which metal detector should i buy gold bug pro or Garret AT gold

[Agatesrcool]

Prospecting would be my main use if you have experience with either please let me know about them, wondering witch one I should get.

 

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[Joecoins]

Lol dude, the witches & but.
Spelling lol
Hope someone else gives some good advice. I couldn't my detector is entry level...

 

[oldkoot]

Prospecting would be my main use if you have experience with either please let me know about them, wondering witch one I should get.

Neither there are better detectors for prospecting than the two you mentioned, those will work though but the newer detectors out now have a few more features, that just make them better in my opinion at the same cost or cheaper than what you inquired about

First is electronic prospecting all you will be doing or do you intend to do a little bit of everything like coins, relics and salt water beaches, plus nugget detecting or what

I personally do a little of everything but my main detection is for gold nuggets, when it comes to detectors, for my nugget detectors my main VLF is a Garrett Gold Master 24K and I also use a Nokta Legend which has a very good dedicated gold mode, The Legend is a good all around detector and fully water proof

you can also look at the Mine Lab GM 1000 (Gold Monster) which I also owned at one time it was a great nugget detector but there were things I absolutely hated about it so I sold my GM 1000 and purchased the Garrett 24K, I absolutely recommend the Garrett 24 K over the Mine Lab GM 1000 the 24K is a much more versatile nugget detector and has more coils available for use if you can find all four coils, I was lucky and was able to obtain all four coils that work o the Garrett 24K, the GM 1000 only has two coils available for it and mine lab is now selling the GM1000 with one coil but increased the price of the GM 1000.
One reason I would recommend the Garrett Gold Master 24K over the Garrett AT Gold is because the 24 K runs 48 KHz the Garrett AT Gold runs 18 KHz most gold that you will find is going to be small nuggets the higher frequency of the 24K will give you a better chance of finding the small stuff

I also use a Garrett Axiom for nugget detection which is a PI (Pulse Induction) Detector, whole different animal from what you asked about.

as long as you are not going to be going into water and submerging your detector then you should also consider the Mine Lab Equinox 800 which has a dedicated gold mode also, the 800 is a good all around detector but the Equinox 600 and 800 both have many documented cases of Water intrusion and just over all bad build quality issues like coil ears breaking off for no apparent reason and bad shafts (severe wobble) in the shafts
If there is a possibility you will be detecting in water then you can also look at the Mine Lab Equinox 900 or even the 700 there has been a few reports of some of the 900s having water intrusion also, just not as many as the nox 800 and 600

another you can look at that I have never used or even held one in my hands but have read good reviews on for gold detection is the XP ORX

Just a few to think about

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

I don't have any issues with my Garrett AT Gold it is a good detector and I have completely submerged it and have found small nuggets around a half a gram. I also use it in parks and have found a lot of gold and silver jewelry with it also. Haven't had a chance to use a gold bug so I have no info on that detector.

 

[Agatesrcool]

Neither there are better detectors for prospecting than the two you mentioned, those will work though but the newer detectors out now have a few more features, that just make them better in my opinion at the same cost or cheaper than what you inquired about

First is electronic prospecting all you will be doing or do you intend to do a little bit of everything like coins, relics and salt water beaches, plus nugget detecting or what

I personally do a little of everything but my main detection is for gold nuggets, when it comes to detectors, for my nugget detectors my main VLF is a Garrett Gold Master 24K and I also use a Nokta Legend which has a very good dedicated gold mode, The Legend is a good all around detector and fully water proof

you can also look at the Mine Lab GM 1000 (Gold Monster) which I also owned at one time it was a great nugget detector but there were things I absolutely hated about it so I sold my GM 1000 and purchased the Garrett 24K, I absolutely recommend the Garrett 24 K over the Mine Lab GM 1000 the 24K is a much more versatile nugget detector and has more coils available for use if you can find all four coils, I was lucky and was able to obtain all four coils that work o the Garrett 24K, the GM 1000 only has two coils available for it and mine lab is now selling the GM1000 with one coil but increased the price of the GM 1000.
One reason I would recommend the Garrett Gold Master 24K over the Garrett AT Gold is because the 24 K runs 48 KHz the Garrett AT Gold runs 18 KHz most gold that you will find is going to be small nuggets the higher frequency of the 24K will give you a better chance of finding the small stuff

I also use a Garrett Axiom for nugget detection which is a PI (Pulse Induction) Detector, whole different animal from what you asked about.

as long as you are not going to be going into water and submerging your detector then you should also consider the Mine Lab Equinox 800 which has a dedicated gold mode also, the 800 is a good all around detector but the Equinox 600 and 800 both have many documented cases of Water intrusion and just over all bad build quality issues like coil ears breaking off for no apparent reason and bad shafts (severe wobble) in the shafts
If there is a possibility you will be detecting in water then you can also look at the Mine Lab Equinox 900 or even the 700 there has been a few reports of some of the 900s having water intrusion also, just not as many as the nox 800 and 600

another you can look at that I have never used or even held one in my hands but have read good reviews on for gold detection is the XP ORX

Just a few to think about

Thanks for the help I appreciate it, also i could take it out from time for relics/coins.

 

[Agatesrcool]

I don't have any issues with my Garrett AT Gold it is a good detector and I have completely submerged it and have found small nuggets around a half a gram. I also use it in parks and have found a lot of gold and silver jewelry with it also. Haven't had a chance to use a gold bug so I have no info on that detector.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Agatesrcool]

Also just realized that the goldmaster 24k is only 40$ more than the AT gold. This would be my first higher end detector, would that be good.

 

[oldkoot]

Also just realized that the goldmaster 24k is only 40$ more than the AT gold. This would be my first higher end detector, would that be good.

As I said I like the 24K a lot for detecting for nuggets, not sure how it would do relic hunting, I have taken it out for giggles to detect for coins once or twice and actually did ok with it, but would it be the first detector I would choose for coin detecting or Relic detecting (Nope) I would grab my Legend, I use the 24K for what it was designed for and that is nugget detecting, Whites is actually who originally produced the 24K and when Garrett purchased whites the 24K is the only detector from whites that Garrett kept producing, that to me says a lot about the 24K in itself.


the 24 K is not water proof just the coils are water proof but the control pod is rain proof

 

[Agatesrcool]

As I said I like the 24K a lot for detecting for nuggets, not sure how it would do relic hunting, I have taken it out for giggles to detect for coins once or twice and actually did ok with it, but would it be the first detector I would choose for coin detecting or Relic detecting (Nope) I would grab my Legend, I use the 24K for what it was designed for and that is nugget detecting, Whites is actually who originally produced the 24K and when Garrett purchased whites the 24K is the only detector from whites that Garrett kept producing, that to me says a lot about the 24K in itself.


the 24 K is not water proof just the coils are water proof but the control pod is rain proof.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Agatesrcool]

As I said I like the 24K a lot for detecting for nuggets, not sure how it would do relic hunting, I have taken it out for giggles to detect for coins once or twice and actually did ok with it, but would it be the first detector I would choose for coin detecting or Relic detecting (Nope) I would grab my Legend, I use the 24K for what it was designed for and that is nugget detecting, Whites is actually who originally produced the 24K and when Garrett purchased whites the 24K is the only detector from whites that Garrett kept producing, that to me says a lot about the 24K in itself.


the 24 K is not water proof just the coils are water proof but the control pod is rain proof

If you don't mind me asking what is the deepest and smallest piece of gold you've found with the 24k?

 

[oldkoot]

If you don't mind me asking what is the deepest and smallest piece of gold you've found with the 24k?

The smallest piece I have dug with the 24K is .012 Gram at about 4 inches but I have dug some bigger bits at around 5-6 inches, I do know if I get over something bigger and deeper there is no doubt it will see it also, I also know without a doubt that it will see smaller also, just not sure how deep actually, the one I mentioned was actually a dug nugget

I also had the GM 1000 (Gold Monster) at one time which is a Mine Lab nugget detector it was also very hot on small gold but there were things I absolutely hated about the GM 1000, so I ended up selling it and purchasing the 24K, the 24K in my opinion is a much more versatile nugget detector than the GM1000 and the 24K is just as hot on small gold as the GM1000, the 24K has more coils available also although two of those coils are Like trying to find a needle in a hay field, all the coils that worked on the Whites 24K will also work on the Garrett 24K also all the coils that worked on the Whites GMX will work on the Garrett 24K also
The four coils that work on the Garrett 24K is
A 6x10 comes Standard
A 6 inch round can be purchased

The two coils that are very hard to find that will work on the 24K
there is a 14x8 that can be used which whites produced for a short time it is hard to find, but it can be found
there is also a 4x6 coil that can be used on the 24K this one was supplied with the GMX when it was being produced by Whites The 4x6 is very very hard to find to purchase but they come up occasionally for sale

I was fortunate when I purchased my Garrett 24K, I was able to get all four coils that will work on the 24K both Garret's and Whites version and the GMX, it took me a bit of searching the net and messaging people but I was able to get all four and I have used all four at one time or another each has their place of when to choose to use them

I do know of someone that has a Whites 24K for sale it comes with the 6x10 and the 6 inch round and it is a steel of a deal if you are interested.

PM me and I will give you a link if you are interested

 

[Agatesrcool]

The smallest piece I have dug with the 24K is .012 Gram at about 4 inches but I have dug some bigger bits at around 5-6 inches, I do know if I get over something bigger and deeper there is no doubt it will see it also, I also know without a doubt that it will see smaller also, just not sure how deep actually, the one I mentioned was actually a dug nugget

I also had the GM 1000 (Gold Monster) at one time which is a Mine Lab nugget detector it was also very hot on small gold but there were things I absolutely hated about the GM 1000, so I ended up selling it and purchasing the 24K, the 24K in my opinion is a much more versatile nugget detector than the GM1000 and the 24K is just as hot on small gold as the GM1000, the 24K has more coils available also although two of those coils are Like trying to find a needle in a hay field, all the coils that worked on the Whites 24K will also work on the Garrett 24K also all the coils that worked on the Whites GMX will work on the Garrett 24K also
The four coils that work on the Garrett 24K is
A 6x10 comes Standard
A 6 inch round can be purchased

The two coils that are very hard to find that will work on the 24K
there is a 14x8 that can be used which whites produced for a short time it is hard to find, but it can be found
there is also a 4x6 coil that can be used on the 24K this one was supplied with the GMX when it was being produced by Whites The 4x6 is very very hard to find to purchase but they come up occasionally for sale

I was fortunate when I purchased my Garrett 24K, I was able to get all four coils that will work on the 24K both Garret's and Whites version and the GMX, it took me a bit of searching the net and messaging people but I was able to get all four and I have used all four at one time or another each has their place of when to choose to use them

I do know of someone that has a Whites 24K for sale it comes with the 6x10 and the 6 inch round and it is a steel of a deal if you are interested.

PM me and I will give you a link if you are interested

Thanks

 

[oldkoot]

Thanks

The person that had the 24K for sale decided to keep his, which at the price he was asking it would have been like he was giving it away in my opinion

 

[DiggerinVA]

I have used and owned the two detectors you mentioned but, living in Virginia i did not use them for prospecting. I used them as relic machines and for that purpose i preferred the AT gold. It is also a much more durable machine and waterproof. However, since then i now own a machine that cost less than the AT Gold and i believe outperforms it at relic hunting and probably prospecting. That machine is the XP ORX with the HF coil. It is extremely sensitive to the smallest pieces of lead, so i would assume it would do the same with small gold. I highly recommend you check out the ORX with HF coil.

 

[oldkoot]

I have used and owned the two detectors you mentioned but, living in Virginia i did not use them for prospecting. I used them as relic machines and for that purpose i preferred the AT gold. It is also a much more durable machine and waterproof. However, since then i now own a machine that cost less than the AT Gold and i believe outperforms it at relic hunting and probably prospecting. That machine is the XP ORX with the HF coil. It is extremely sensitive to the smallest pieces of lead, so i would assume it would do the same with small gold. I highly recommend you check out the ORX with HF coil.

I have actually heard the same about the ORX at 81 KHz it should hit some pretty small nuggets just how small that is the question, the ORX was another I suggested to the OP, even though I have not ever used the ORX I have read a lot of good things about it for nugget detecting.

 

[Agatesrcool]

you can also look at the Mine Lab GM 1000 (Gold Monster) which I also owned at one time it was a great nugget detector but there were things I absolutely hated about it so I sold my GM 1000 and purchased the Garrett 24K, I absolutely recommend the Garrett 24 K over the Mine Lab GM 1000 the 24K is a much more versatile nugget detector and has more coils available for use if you can find all four coils,

Question, what didn't you like about the GM1000?

 

[oldkoot]

Question, what didn't you like about the GM1000?

Well there is a list of things I did not like about the GM1000

#1- Was the Lack of a threshold

#2- the GM1000 is a automatic turn on an detect detector (which was ok) but having said that you had to stay on top of the Ground balance constantly (and yes you have to ground balance the GM1000), if you sat it down to retrieve a target you had to re ground balance, if you picked the coil up to high you had to re ground balance, if you swung the coil to fast you had to re ground, if you looked at the dang GM1000 cross eyed you had to re ground balance, that got old real quick for me, there was nothing automatic about it LOL

the GM1000 was highly susceptible to being extremely bump sensitive, to the point a blade of grass would make it sound off

one of the most frustrating things for me personally was every time you sat the GM1000 down to retrieve a target the stupid thing would literally fall over, (it was way to top heavy) that one thing alone was very very frustrating for me, having to set the GM1000 back up wright just to run your plastic scoop across the coil to retrieve a target, well lets just say I wanted to wrap it around a tree

and do not take me wrong the GM1000 is a very sensitive nugget detector, it will see very small bits of gold that a lot of other VLF will not, but the things I did not like about it far exceeded the things I liked about it, the other thing there are only two coils available for the GM1000 and that is it, personally for me I like having coil options.

I ended up selling the GM1000 and purchased the Garrett Gold master 24K to replace the GM1000 and I have absolutely no regrets in doing so, the GM1000 runs 45 KHz and the 24K runs 48KHz, the 24K there are 4 coils that can be ran on it which makes the 24K quite a bit more versatile as a nugget detector and the 24K is just as hot on small gold as the GM1000 and in my opinion the 24K may be a little hotter than the GM100 because of the slightly higher Frequency it runs.

The other thing the Garrett 24K is a few hundred dollars cheaper than the GM1000

The four coils that can be run on the GM1000 are a 6x10 elliptical, and a 6 inch round, Those two coils can be purchased just about anywhere the Next two coils are not very easy to locate and purchase, but they can be found occasionally

the first one is a 14x8 elliptical, which was produced by Whites for use on the Whites 24K, the Whites 24K and the Garrett 24K are the same detector, Identical other than a few tweaks Garrett made when they purchased Whites

this fourth coil is almost impossible to find for sale and it is a little 4x6 elliptical coil, that coil was produced in limited quantities by Whites to run on the GMX sport, the GMX Sport is identical to the Whites 24K and Garrett 24K they can all three run the same coils, the only difference in the GMX Sport and the Whites and Garrett's 24K is the GMX Sport is water proof and the Garrett and White's 24K are only rain proof, but the coils are fully water proof so the coils can be submerged .

I was fortunate when I purchased my Garrett 24K because I was able to find and purchase all the coils to run on my 24K, it took a little searching but I was able to find all of them.

 

[Agatesrcool]

Well there is a list of things I did not like about the GM1000

#1- Was the Lack of a threshold

#2- the GM1000 is a automatic turn on an detect detector (which was ok) but having said that you had to stay on top of the Ground balance constantly (and yes you have to ground balance the GM1000), if you sat it down to retrieve a target you had to re ground balance, if you picked the coil up to high you had to re ground balance, if you swung the coil to fast you had to re ground, if you looked at the dang GM1000 cross eyed you had to re ground balance, that got old real quick for me, there was nothing automatic about it LOL

the GM1000 was highly susceptible to being extremely bump sensitive, to the point a blade of grass would make it sound off

one of the most frustrating things for me personally was every time you sat the GM1000 down to retrieve a target the stupid thing would literally fall over, (it was way to top heavy) that one thing alone was very very frustrating for me, having to set the GM1000 back up wright just to run your plastic scoop across the coil to retrieve a target, well lets just say I wanted to wrap it around a tree

and do not take me wrong the GM1000 is a very sensitive nugget detector, it will see very small bits of gold that a lot of other VLF will not, but the things I did not like about it far exceeded the things I liked about it, the other thing there are only two coils available for the GM1000 and that is it, personally for me I like having coil options.

I ended up selling the GM1000 and purchased the Garrett Gold master 24K to replace the GM1000 and I have absolutely no regrets in doing so, the GM1000 runs 45 KHz and the 24K runs 48KHz, the 24K there are 4 coils that can be ran on it which makes the 24K quite a bit more versatile as a nugget detector and the 24K is just as hot on small gold as the GM1000 and in my opinion the 24K may be a little hotter than the GM100 because of the slightly higher Frequency it runs.

The other thing the Garrett 24K is a few hundred dollars cheaper than the GM1000

The four coils that can be run on the GM1000 are a 6x10 elliptical, and a 6 inch round, Those two coils can be purchased just about anywhere the Next two coils are not very easy to locate and purchase, but they can be found occasionally

the first one is a 14x8 elliptical, which was produced by Whites for use on the Whites 24K, the Whites 24K and the Garrett 24K are the same detector, Identical other than a few tweaks Garrett made when they purchased Whites

this fourth coil is almost impossible to find for sale and it is a little 4x6 elliptical coil, that coil was produced in limited quantities by Whites to run on the GMX sport, the GMX Sport is identical to the Whites 24K and Garrett 24K they can all three run the same coils, the only difference in the GMX Sport and the Whites and Garrett's 24K is the GMX Sport is water proof and the Garrett and White's 24K are only rain proof, but the coils are fully water proof so the coils can be submerged .

I was fortunate when I purchased my Garrett 24K because I was able to find and purchase all the coils to run on my 24K, it took a little searching but I was able to find all of them.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[oldkoot]

The four coils that can be run on the GM1000 are a 6x10 elliptical, and a 6 inch round, Those two coils can be purchased just about anywhere the Next two coils are not very easy to locate and purchase, but they can be found occasionally

I have to correct this statement I made

that statement should have read

The four coils that can be run on the 24K are a 6x10 elliptical, and a 6 inch round, Those two coils can be purchased just about anywhere the Next two coils are not very easy to locate and purchase, but they can be found occasionally

 

[Agatesrcool]

Sorry for all the questions but, I just bought the 24k from garret it comes with the 6x10, once I want to buy another coil which one should I get for prospecting. Thanks.