Getting a metal detector. Which brand do you recommend?

[BellwoodBoys]

In order to get $$ for more local bottles, Im planning to buy a White Coinmaster metal detector.Before I make this decision, are there any other kinds you would recommend?

 

[MIdigger]

Have a Whites MXT-pro I got last year and very happy with it. Also a couple of lower cost Bounty Hunters QD-2 and a 505, Have a Fisher F-70 I want to add and a Garrett AT-Pro.

Lots of good ones out there. Just make sure to do your homework on what you want. If you check out Kellyco`s page you can compare 3 detectors at a time and compare features. You might want to add a pinpointer to make the digging time quicker also.

Whites is a good choice as Iam very happy with mine. I have extras for friends or I take a back up unit in case of a failure.

 

[VTdigger]

I'm getting one to with my tax return. I had one a few years ago but it was a cheap one and I didn't know how to find things back than like I do now, I wanna hunt the stream banks near where I work the rivers out back of what used to be mill houses in the 1800's. I got lucky and found a brass dragon button from the late 1800's-early 1900's and a 1980's 50 cent peace by eye along the river banks. I can't wait to get a detector and check this place. Also there's some woods down the road from my house that used to be sheep pasture in the 1830s-40s, I've always wanted to check the lands for sale so I wanna hurry up and get out there when the ground thaws.

 

[diggerdirect]

I've never owned a Whites but several friends have them and wouldn't run anything but. I've had my Garrett GTAx1000 for about 8 years now and its only required service once (after I got caught in the rain with it). My Garrett ACE350 & Scorpion Gold Stinger are also good solid machines. All said & done MD's are like vehicles, everyone has their favorites and their not so favorites. Like MIDigger said, on KellyCo you can compare features side by side, make a list of what your main uses/needs of the machine are going to be and you'll be able to narrow down the field. I'm a big fan of the electronic no motion pin pointing without the need for another piece of equipment myself, target ID and depth indicators are nice, but not always reliable, manual ground balance & notch descrimination are also good features when you need them, but the simplicity of a turn on and go machine is a breath of fresh air on occassion.

I bought my machines local and the after sale service alone made it worth the little extra cost, everything from instruction to questions to repairs but virtually all the new machines come with a manufacturers warranty, compare those as well.

Al

 

[riverdiver]

I too am a wicked fan of the Whites line of detectors, I own a Surfmaster II for my diving detector, a Classic5ID for land and woods and my back up is a Garrett Ace 300. I will be buying a T2 limited this spring from Technetics and a Minelab E-Trac next spring.

Do your research and go to a local shop and try several out until you find one you are comfortable with. The bottom line is any detector is only as good as its user and will only find the good stuff if you research your sites and actually swing the coil over the metal item. Also dont be discouraged if you find tons of pull tabs as we all do and they are in the same range as gold rings, if you disregard the tin/aluminum hits you will kiss goodbye all of those small gold rings too.

Just my 2 cents worth...

PS, these are some of my river detected finds.

 

[ironmountain]

I have a Fisher F2...if I were to stay with Fisher I'd get the F75 or F75LTD..that's only if your ground isn't heavily mineralized...has boost mode do go super deep..like 23" deep... has great recovery time and discrimination...but Fisher's are chatty when there's a ton of iron in the ground or EMI. My town is where iron ore was first mined, so there is a ton of iron in the ground here. very sensitive detectors. If you're relic hunting in the woods/fields, then it's perfect..

Personally Im dumping my Fisher and going to get a Tesoro Vaquero. Easily discrims iron, has ground balance, goes very very deep and costs 460ish new...lifetime warranty also.

I was reading a forum post today and someone asked what Tesoro is comparable to the eTrac...

pretty much everyone said the vaquero... It's a heck of a machine. one said the Tejon. The Tejon is skittish in heavy mineralized soil...

Good for relic hunting, coins, silver and gold.

One of the best coin/jewelry shooters out there....

If you can't get your hands on them to test them, next best thing would be to hit up a forum such as the friendly metal detecting forum...and/or watch youtube videos...



but if ground isn't highly mineralized, i'd go with the fisher f75...it's deep enough and good enough to use w/o going to the 1k $ cost of the F75LTD.

The Minelabs are great. 705,safari,explorer, eTrac...but they have a very slow recovery rate. example: 2 coins 1" apart from each other it won't pick up both of them unless you scan slowly. It will pick up one coin and "null" out the other until it resets and you rescan.
They are quite expensive. The lower cost models like the 705 won't allow you to change the frequency it operates at, unless you buy a new coil with the new frequency....gets expensive.

 

[cowseatmaize]

In order to get $$ for more local bottles

I wanna hunt the stream banks near where I work the rivers out back of what used to be mill houses in the 1800's.

I'd think for stream banks and bottle hunting a cheapo would be fine for large chunks of iron and tin cans etc. that bottles would be with. The wider areas and for for pinpointing coins and jewelery would need something better.
I'm not a detectorist though.[]

 

[AntiqueMeds]

I wouldnt consider metal detecting a good way to make money. There are a lot more effective ways to make extra money. Its best to metal detect for the fun of it (and exercise), especially starting out, or you may be disappointed.

 

[MIdigger]

Its not a JOB to make money. Its a Hobby that one enjoys. Sure there are Gold and Silver big finds by professionals. Once in awhile a person hits it big but thats like hitting the lottery.

I think most of us just enjoy using them much the same as we dig for bottles. Probably not going to get rich but you can enhance your own collection and maybe make some cash and trades.

Last year I found 2 gold rings, one small not worth much (given to my sister) the other was my best find $ wise. It was worth 255-300 dollars. I found clad coins worth maybe 125.00, silver coins worth maybe 50.00, silver rings maybe worth 50.00 and scrap worth maybe 25.00, plus many wheat pennies, tokens, other jewelry and misc items. Sometimes its historical or military items. Plenty of those too.

Most days I wont even cover my gas costs to local spots (say $5.00), but every once in awhile you stumble into something good (silver coins and rings). Some days you do find good amounts of clad coins maybe a 5.00-10.00 day. I just enjoy it as much as bottle digging. Its just something to do and if you read through the metal detecting thread you will see we all have some pretty good finds.

 

[BellwoodBoys]

I spent all night poking around, reading reveiws from buyers. I'm going to get a White coinmaster Pro. I am metal detecting for the fun of it. But if I ever find annything valuble im going to keep it if i like it or sell it for local belmar bottles.

Thanks for all the replies I got.

-Rob