Metal Detector

[Dave Lehnert]

Looking for my first Metal Detector. Know nothing about them.

Have my eye on the Garrett Ace 300.
http://www.garrett.com/hobbysite/hbby_ace_300_main_en.aspx
My question is what will this model not do vs higher price model?

Others I have my eye on.
-Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro Metal Detector
-Fisher F22 Weatherproof Metal Detector

[John K Jordan]

Most of today's better metal detectors seem do a great job - the electronics have improved since a few decades ago. I've had several over the years and a couple of Garretts and an underwater detector for scuba diving. All worked well. My current favorite is a Minelab Excalibur but it was over $1000, don't know what your budget is. I mostly use mine now on the farm here to recover dropped things, buried survey pins, etc. I haven't found that buried treasure yet... (Although the people down the road did kick up a huge cache of sliver a few years back!)

Did you try asking this on the metal-detecting/treasure hunting forums? Or look for reviews in one of the treasure hunting magazines.

JKJ

[Dave Lehnert]

Did you try asking this on the metal-detecting/treasure hunting forums? Or look for reviews in one of the treasure hunting magazines.

JKJ

Been reading a ton over the weekend.
But just like woodworking forums, unless you have some knowledge, hard to wade through all the "My brand x is better than your brand z" or "save your pennies and get the $1500 unit"
Hope to get some opinions on owners who are not so passionate about detecting but experienced enough to know what is a good value.

[John K Jordan]

Been reading a ton over the weekend.
But just like woodworking forums, unless you have some knowledge, hard to wade through all the "My brand x is better than your brand z" or "save your pennies and get the $1500 unit"
Hope to get some opinions on owners who are not so passionate about detecting but experienced enough to know what is a good value.

With any new field I find it quickest to get up to speed from the magazines and books. Or humbly identify yourself on a forum as a newbee, give your inttended use and budget, and politely ask for advice. Check places like Wikipedia - they have a useful write-up.

My limited experience is those in the $300 - $600 range will all work well. They have different features like pinpointing and depth indicators and different levels of discrimination. All of them will find coins, jewelry, lost pocket knives, and plenty of old worthless junk! All will sometimes have you digging in frustration and finding nothing.

My favorite find was a man's gold wedding band under the sand in 30' of water. Through a bit of detective work I found the owner who lost it a year before. The wife was SO excited to get it back! She said they had gotten a replacement but this one was special and she was going to put it through his nose, whatever that meant... :-)

JKJ

[John T Barker]

I don't have a reply to your question but that's a hobby I'd love to get in to. I had a brief addiction to some scavengers on youtube and was amazed at what they found. I live in a pretty historic area, right outside Valley Forge Park, and would imagine this area full of all sorts of old stuff. It is real easy to research what farms were where 250 years ago and since then all sorts of "newer" history has been dumped. The little bit of reading I did indicates a lot of property is off limits without permission from the owner so where are all these folks going to do their scavenging?
Enjoy yourself!

[John K Jordan]

...a lot of property is off limits without permission from the owner so where are all these folks going to do their scavenging?
Enjoy yourself!

The guy I used to know who had a huge collection of civil war stuff (a basement full of display cases) found much of it on private property. He researched the battles and army movements and the finds of others then contacted and made deals with the land owners. I have no idea if he paid them, shared the finds, or just got permission.

JKJ

[Keith Outten]

Dave,

I purchased the Garret AT Pro package about a year ago. It seemed to be the best deal on a mid-level metal detector and get the Carrot pin pointer and other accessories. The AT Pro is a very popular machine. We have an older Delta 4000 detector that works ok, at least for someone who is new to the hobby.

We bought the Delta 4000 to find lost items around our home and kind of got just a bit of the hunting bug. I haven't been hunting anywhere but my property and an older house next door. My home is almost one hundred years old and my neighbors place is older then mine. I do find lots of very old stuff from children's toys, rings, hatchet heads, lots of coins, a pocket watch and a million nails and pop tops. Every time I use my tractor in the dirt I seem to be finding stuff, behind my old barn I found a very old cultivator buried that was pulled by a horse or a mule and a two man sawblade.

A couple weeks ago I had a company install new roofs on my shop and the house so I have been busy scanning for nails, the ones that their magnet and mine missed.
.

[John Fabre]

You should ask here metaldetectingforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=25 love the forum, friendly just like this one.

[Lewis Ehrhardt]

you will love the Ace 300. I have the Ace 250 model which is older, but I have really enjoyed it. It's a great coin finder as well as jewelry and other things. i also have a White detector, high end model, but I find myself using the Ace more often b/c it's not as expensive so i take it with me all the time. It won't disappoint

[Donny Lawson]

I love detecting when I get time. I have a Garrett A/T Pro and a Whites MXT Pro. Both are great machines. I think I like the Garrett A/T Pro the best because of it being water proof. It's easy to use. Pull up some you tube videos on it.