Metal Detector

[naturebee]

Can anybody give advice on what metal detector to purchase?

I’m wanting to spend less than $200, but will consider going as
high as $300 if needed to get better features.

I’m just searching for coins along old tram lines and wagon roads
and perhaps a creek bed or two.

I’m considering this elcheepo model at the top of the page.
Any advice?

http://electronics.pricegrabber.com/metal-detectors/p/2046/form_keyword=metal+detector/st=sort/sortby=rating

Thanks!

[bigeddie]

If you are really serious about detecting and plan to use it alot, you will want to spend a lot more than $300.00. I have 4 now and have owned 6. A cheap one won't go deep at all and won't discriminate out trash worth a darn. Trust me when I tell you there is tons of junk out there and you don't want to dig all those nails that were used to build that house that has long since rotted to the ground. My coin machine is a Minelab Explorer II. Great machine,I don't dig trash unless its brass ,copper or any nonferious metal. I paid $750.00 used from a dealer I know ,who used it as a demonstrator. New they are about $1,300.00 or so. Check Ebay for used equip. I have 2 gold machines,1 under water and 1 coin machine, all minelab. Tosoro is also a good machine with a lifetime guarentee, made in Prescott Az.
Most major brands are good and have a wide price range. Remember, price means alot with detectors,cheaper usually means less effective which = frustration which=not going= money down the tubes.
Hope I didn't discourage you, just trying to help. Good tools are a pleasure to use, poor ones lead to frustration.

Good luck,
Eddie

[MapMan]

Yeah, get a cheap one, and you'll find out how many aluminum can tabs there are out there, buried about 2-3 inches down...:rolleyes:


MM

[mistergil]

You'll need to do a little research as what you are searching for will impact what you should buy. I like Tesoro's because they have some nice lower priced models that do a good job and they have the lifetime guarantee, just send the unit, less the wand, to them and they will repair it. Their web site has a lot of information on types, coil selection, etc. I prefer silent search with discrimination via headphones and don't use any gages or meters. You should be able to pick up a fairly useful one for a couple hundred bucks but the sky's the limit if you want the bells and whistles!

http://www.tesoro.com/index.html

[MapMan]

Good tools are a pleasure to use, poor ones lead to frustration.

Hardly anyone ever takes that advice when I tell them that!

They'll learn the hard ($) way!:)

MM

[Mike Gillmore]

I have a White's 5900 model and it has worked very well for my coin and relic hunting ventures. If you look for a good used one it should fall into the price range you are trying to stay in.

I'll echo what was already stated, as the price increases so do the features and advantages. But the White's 5900 will give you several discriminition options and a few different mode selections to work with depending on the ground minerals present or the amount of trash you're forced to deal with. I'm not sure if the "cheapie" models will offer those options.... which can be the difference between an enjoyable outing or a frustrating day.

[blkcloud]

Ive been at it for 30 years..got a 5 gallon bucket full of coins & bullets and such..spend 300 on a tesoro and it will last a life time, I started with a 49 dollar mustang, went to a whites coinmaster in 1986 then in 2000 i bought a 500 dollar bounty hunter which i still use, its not the wal mart bounty hunter same company but much better machine, i bought my daughter a $150 tesoro and honestly, it will find as much as the whites or the bounty hunter..probably 90% of my bullets are 4 inches or less, heck you may not even like digging up buried treasure and then you have a real expensive hat rack in the corner..:D:D

[bigeddie]

Hardly anyone ever takes that advice when I tell them that!

They'll learn the hard ($) way!:)

MM

I hear ya MM!!

I made that mistake myself, but i'm a quick learner. A hammer is a hammer some say, but I don't use a claw hammer to drive a fence post, I use a post maul. I also don't use a metal detector to find poptops,nails,wire,tin cans and the like, I have no use for that junk. I'm getting closer to the grave every day ,so what time I have left won't be spent on digging nails out of the earth, I'll go to the lumber yard for them. :D

Spend your time wisely, life is short. :)

Eddie

[Sundance]

Whites are very good..........

Don't forget the used market on ebay. Great values can be
had at a fraction of new. Better to get a very good used one
than an entry model new one IMO.

http://cgi.ebay.com/WHITES-WHITES-COINMASTER-6000-D-SER-2-METAL-DETECTOR_W0QQitemZ170203081482QQihZ007QQcategoryZ1 4955QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[naturebee]

Ok, lets say I go with the brand White

Most here are recommending the Discrimination feature as a necessity.

I called this guy on the Kelly detectors site, he recommended this
White model as in my price range:

http://www.kellycodetectors.com/whites/classic5idpro.htm

Comments anyone?

I understand the advice to buy quality, but I need to stay on the affordable
side and yet still get some of the essential features to make it enjoyable.

Joe

[Sundance]

Joe........... Here's a good deal (so far) on the same model
of White's. Bought from KellyCo a year ago. Plus some extras
tossed in like headphones

http://cgi.ebay.com/Whites-Classic-5-Metal-Detector_W0QQitemZ250227783795QQihZ015QQcategoryZ1 4955QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem