Posted on 03/09/2013 5:12:05 PM PST by The Louiswu
I have been detecting for years and have used several detectors such as Tesoro, Bounty Hunter, Whites, but my fave is a Garrett ACE 250. Very good, and inexpensive detector. Check http://www.kellycodetectors.com/ for the best prices and customer service.
You just can’t beat Tesoro. They are made in America and come with a lifetime warranty. They are extremely lite weight. I traded in my Minelab Sovereign with all the bells and whistles for a simple silver UMax which is one of their basic models and I love it. The sovereign was heavy and the Silver weighs 2.2 pounds. I can tell with about 80% accuracy what is in the ground before I dig just by thumbing the discrimination knob and listening to where the signal breaks up, it is that accurate. Get her a silver or a Compadre and if she gets into it they have more advanced detectors also with all the bells and whistles. Another detector which is very popular for beginners is the Garret Ace 250. I bought one of those two and I like it alright but the Silver is a much better detector. Tell her also to check out the forum at http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/todays-finds/
You will be amazed at what those guys find on a daily basis.
I have found gold and silver rings but I mostly hunt for Silver coins now with the price of silver going up. The parkway strips in front of older houses almost always yield old silver. Good luck.
This is not a simple selection process, and above all, it is not a “one size fits all” deal...some are better in water, some are better in highly mineralized soil, some are better in wet or dry soil. Axenolith, FReeper, has some insights into this area. It also depends upon where you want to go and whom you might offend digging up what you might find, as well as your etiquette as far as replacing clods of dirt you’ll be digging up.
Do plenty of research, is what I am saying. I highly, highly recommend you find someone local from whom you can borrow or rent one for a few jaunts to see how you like that particular model. And indeed, how much you like spending hours and hours looking around, potentially finding only bottlecaps and nails.
What kind of detecting is she planning on doing ? Does she want to hunt parks, beaches, old house sites ? Does she want to search for gold nuggets etc ?? I assume she is probably not planning on doing some serious Civil War or Revolutionary War relic hunting.
The type of hunting you plan to do really can dictate the brand and type of machine you should get. A park or beach hunter is probably not going to want the same machine a serious relic hunter or prospector is going to want.
I have actively hunted since the late 1970’s but I am primarily a Revolutionary War / Civil War relic hunter. I use(d) various Nautilus, Garret and Whites machines.
I forgot to mention you can find good used tesoros and other detectors on ebay. I got mine for $143 and it works fine. You will want to get her a pinpointer also. This is just a smaller wand type metal detector that beeps or vibrates when it gets within an inch of the target. I use a vibra probe. This is a real must have as well as a good digging tool. The lesche digging tool is the best I have used. It is pricey but it makes recovering targets a lot easier. She will need to develop some skills, most important of which is recovering targets in groomed lawns and grassy areas without damage. There are plenty of videos on Youtube. You guys will have a lot of fun together and something tells me you will be buying your own detector before long.
I would recommend starting her off with an Ace 250.
Lower cost than most detectors but still a nice unit, and will allow her to get into the hobby. If she really gets into it, then you can look into getting a detector that costs $1000’s, but I wouldn’t start off at that price.
She will also need a pinpointer detector. They are pretty essential.
Are pull tabs from coke cans etc. still a big problem? Back when I was using my Whites quite a bit, those pull tabs were really hard to tell from a coin. Maybe they have all corroded by now.
LOL. Unfortunately they have not all corroded and if you want to find gold rings and chains then you have to dig thousands of them since to a detector a gold ring and a pulltab look the same. Coins are much higher on the conductivity scale and modern detectors are pretty good at telling the difference.
“FIsher Gold Bug 2”
Is this the same company that makes the towed underwater detectors? They have a very good reputation with salvers.
The perfect place to ask that question:
http://metaldetectingforum.com/
And for those already in the hobby:
Do not Kill the hobby.
Metal Detecting CODE OF ETHICS
- Always fill in your holes, including plowed fields, sand pits, beaches and in water.
- Never trespass. Always get permission to traverse private or restricted lands.
- Always respect private property and do no metal detecting without the owner’s permission.
- Before searching public sites, always check laws, ordinances or regulations that may govern your hunt.
- Always leave gates as they are found whether open or closed.
- Never do anything that might contaminate wells, creeks or other water supplies.
- Never tamper with signs, maintenance facilities or equipment.
- Never damage or destroy property, buildings or what is left of ghost towns or deserted structures.
- Never spook, taunt, provoke or otherwise disturb wild or domestic animals.
- Never leave litter. Pack out any and all trash or debris you create or find.
- If necessary, clean up after a previous detectorist. Acting in spite of him or even just ignoring his trangressions will only hurt us all in the end.
- Always use the correct digging or probing equipment to make the least intrusion or marks.
- Never throw trash finds back in the hole.
- Leave as little sign of your passing as possible.
- Study, learn, appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources, wildlife, and private property.
- Be thoughtful, considerate, courteous and respectful of others at all times.
- Protect the metal detecting hobby by being a good will ambassador at all times.
- Report the discovery of any items of possible significant historical value to a local historian or museum in accordance with the latest legislation of your area.
- Report any live ammunition or other potentially lethal or toxic objects you may find to authorities after carefully noting or marking the location.
- Report any criminal activities you see to proper authorities immediately. You are not a “snitch” or a “tattletale”. You are a citizen with both rights, privileges AND duties. Respect them as they were hard-earned by many who came before you.
I did not make up these rules, just trying to save the hobby for newbies to come.
ezdigger Stan
Go to the nearest Airport and ask one of the TSA guys wearing the $1000 Uniform if they have any extra Metal Detectors for sale.
The ones they used to use on innocent bystanders that emit massive doses of Radiation work really well for finding coins, jewelry, arrowheads and prostates.
With the Sequester, they need all the money they can get.
checkout Kellyco.com online. We have purchased two White MD’s from them. They carry all the good brands and their prices are competetive. I like their sale/tech support also.
>>Those detectors are capable of detecting over 80% of handguns brought through, which is pretty dang good.<<
Fake bombs, not so much :)
Thanks to everyone for all the great information. I never dreamed that there would be so many choices and so much information. I am sure I will be able to find one the wife will like.
good advise...thanks
You're welcome. The main thing is for people to dig where they have permission and to FILL THE HOLES BACK UP...... Lots of parks and other areas are now off limits because of people leaving open holes.
This link might also be of value to you. It is a guide I found a while back and helped me lots. Hope it helps.
https://detectorsdirect.com.au/blogs/detector-articles/the-ultimate-metal-detector-guide-for-beginners-2020
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