Help buying a metal detector

Krav

Krav

Joined
Jun 6, 2013
Messages
13,275
For my wife. I would like to stay in the $400-$600 range. Not sure if she wants for prospecting, or jewelry , or meteors. Any direction anyone could give would be helpful. Even if it's better to spend more money and wait.
Thank you
 
Like any other hobby, you need to figure out how it will be likely used then decide from there. If you're going to be out coinshooting parks there's great machines, if you're going to be hitting the beach there's other sugestions, gold- that's a whole nother machine.

If coin and relic hunting, there are some great machines from Fisher, Garrett, Whites, Tessoro,to name a few. Also, consider the cost of support gear like recovery tools (digging tools), pinpointer, head phones, different sized/purpose coils.

If beach/water hunting, there are some great machines from Fisher, Garrett, whites, Tessoro...

If prospecting there are great machines from.....

You get the picture, lol. Most companies make machines to cover all bases. Check out Kellyco online for various options and kits. Some of the more popular starter machines are the Fisher F2 and Garrett Ace 250. Not less capable, but great bang for the buck. Also, the ground type where you will be hunting can narow your search a little bit.


HTH

-Xander
 
Thank you, this will be done mainly in n.c. Inland pretty tough compact dirt, woods, parks. Ill take a look at some of those models.
 
Something else, I know there are some active clubs out that way, do some leg work and possibly get to try out some dfferent machines that are popular in your area. You E-coasters get to do some really cool coin/relic hunting, I'm jealous! Nothing much to speak of out here before 1849. Also, you can get good deals on ued equipment through the clubs.

Good luck and happy hunting!


-X
 
Check out the Garrett AT Pro. It's a great all around detector and even has a water-resistant coil for searching beaches and lakes. It will be in the upper range of your budget though,,,
 
Almost all machines now have waterproof coils/cable. Its the box that's usually not. But the AT Pro is a very good machine. Even my 10+ year old Bounty Hunter has waterproof coil.


-X
 
I think fast14riot gave you some great advice. Like he said, check with some locals and see what they use. The ground probably has a lot of minerals and some detectors do better than others in highly mineralized soil. I have a Whites mxt and I really like it. It's a great all purpose detector. By all purpose I refer to being a coin/relic/prospecting detector. My wife has a Tesoro eldorado. Tesoro doesn't make that detector anymore for some reason. It is a lighter weight machine that is easier for a woman to swing. I haven't stayed caught up on metal detector technology and I'm sure there are lots of other great detectors out there. One thing that you need to get along with a detector is a digging/accessory kit. Kellyco usually has specials for these that go along purchasing a detector. You should also talk to the local detector dealers. Even though they might cost more they can give you more hands on training and advice, plus if you have issues you can go to them. Metal detecting is a great hobby and a good one that both husband and wife can do together and enjoy. I wish you the best and hope you have a merry christmas. Btw, I'm also jealous of all the old relics/coins you have back there.
 
Thanks so much everyone. A friend of mine doesn't even have a metal detector, he has found several arrow heads on his property. He had someone look at them and I can't remember exactly how old they were, but they were real Indian arrow heads. Cool stuff.:thumbup:
 
I would suggest going to a metal detecting forum and seeing what other use. And they will tead to know who has the best deals. That's how I got my Garrett Ace 250. Works great and only cost me $225
 
Now that you got the machine for her, best thing to do is read the manual, go outside and use it, then come in and read the manual, go use it again. Wash, rinse and repete. Learning the machine inside and out is the biggest factor in finding cool stuff. What coil did you get with it? I know some people like the "sniper coil" but at 4" diameter it really takes time to cover any amount of ground. Theyre good in reallly trashy areas, small flower beds, and such, but if you go to a park it will take forever to cover any considerable ground.

If its a christmas gift, maybe consider burrying some different coins in the yard for her to go find right away. Having known targets really helps learn the language of your machine. Nickles are the hardest because they ring up in the pull tab and screw top range. If she finds nickles, she'll be able to find gold. Silver will just make the machine scream!


Be sure to post up some of her finds!


-Xander
 
I run a Tesoro, DH runs a Minelabs. His has a more precise coin identifier, but mine seems to handle ground clutter better. You really need to take a lot of time to learn whatever detector you buy--all the good ones (major makers as noted above) work well, but have different nuances to them. Some are waterproof, others not. although neither of ours are specifically prospecting machines, we both have found gold with them.

I highly suggest you hang out at Treasure Net, Friendly Metaldetecting Forums, and Findmall Forum. There is a ton of good info on all of them.
 
Krav said:
Thanks so much everyone. A friend of mine doesn't even have a metal detector, he has found several arrow heads on his property. He had someone look at them and I can't remember exactly how old they were, but they were real Indian arrow heads. Cool stuff.:thumbup:
Click to expand...

I don't think a detector would find those anyway (would it?). Regardless, I grew up in farm country in Mi. My grandfather had a sizable box full of arrowheads. I've never found one!

I did find some cow teeth though.
 
Feel free to stop by my metal detecting forum - http://forums.kinzlicoils.com/index/

It's California-Centric, but we're a good bunch of folks that are happy to help with things like this.

It very much depends on what you are looking for in terms of your particular slant of the hobby. Minelab, Tesoro, Whites - those are the common brands and are all good quality.

Jeff
 
Thanks for the advice guys, I'm going to fiddle with it tomorrow, or today. I have to read the manual, there's ground balance, sensitivities, pin point, here's a pic
 

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