Metal Detecting

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Trail Wonky

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Curious if there are any metal detectorists on here. Occasional recreational users, great, bring it on, but how about those that make it part of their overlanding gear and have it with them more than not.

Love the thread Old Mines, Ghost Towns, etc. You never know when you will be somewhere that the detector will come in handy. Of course you want to know if the property is private or public and if there are any detecting regulations that may exist for the area.

They also come in handy if someone loses something like a nut or screw while doing a repair or keys, jewelry, a tent stake. I have found many property markers for people as well.

As a member of TheRingFinders.com I help people find missing items as well as property searches and cache retrievals. On ground and underwater! I'm in Northwest Washington if anyone needs assistance or would like to get together for a day of detecting or a day of wheeling, with the chance of detecting.

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9Mike2

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I have been Metal detecting for many years. The family belong to a couple of clubs that were mainly Gold Prospecting but had meeting to Metal Detect too.. Plus I took my detector with me at work into the field a lot of times. I have found so much junk and some pretty nice things too.. The wife laughs because I seem to bring home utensils all time, Knifes, forks , and spoons.. The last time I detected a old shack all I found was spent shell casings and square nails...
 
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Trail Wonky

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If you get one of these you will be paying $25. for $500 of frustration. I would not advise anyone to buy this. It will only make you pull your hair out. And it will end up in the landfill within the year! Also, although I don't know the specifics on this one, many of the cheap detectors do not pick up gold, as this area of the spectrum is discriminated out because it is where much of your trash registers and kids would get discouraged digging pull tabs, tin foil and junk. It probably has about 1-2 inches of penetrating depth on a coin size object. And made in China!

I'd say 9 out of 10 people who I recover lost items for, bought a $100 or less detector and tried to find the item before calling me. They spend days looking and then I make the find lickety split. I had a young couple who lost a wedding ring up a hiking trail at the end of a 4x4 road. The location was remote and easily four hours from town each way. They went home bought a cheap metal detector and went back up the next day and spent the entire day looking for it. The third time up, I met them at the trailhead, got to the location and made the find in 20 minutes.

You know the saying, "You Get What You Pay For", well I think it is even more true when it comes to metal detectors.
 
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Billy "Poserlander" Badly

Billy "Poserlander" Badly

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Trail Wonka said:
If you get one of these you will be paying $25. for $500 of frustration. I would not advise anyone to buy this. It will only make you pull your hair out. And it will end up in the landfill within the year! Also, although I don't know the specifics on this one, many of the cheap detectors do not pick up gold, as this area of the spectrum is discriminated out because it is where much of your trash registers and kids would get discouraged digging pull tabs, tin foil and junk. It probably has about 1-2 inches of penetrating depth on a coin size object. And made in China!

I'd say 9 out of 10 people who I recover lost items for, bought a $100 or less detector and tried to find the item before calling me. They spend days looking and then I make the find lickety split. I had a young couple who lost a wedding ring up a hiking trail at the end of a 4x4 road. The location was remote and easily four hours from town each way. They went home bought a cheap metal detector and went back up the next day and spent the entire day looking for it. The third time up, I met them at the trailhead, got to the location and made the find in 20 minutes.

You know the saying, "You Get What You Pay For", well I think it is even more true when it comes to metal detectors.
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What's a good, relatively inexpensive starter option? My dad had a metal detector when I was a kid, and I loved going out with him, treasure hunting. It's definitely something I'd be interested in pursuing again...
 
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9Mike2

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Like what I got the kids, when they were little. Look at the " Whites CoinMaster" is a good starter Detector , there like are other brands Fisher, and Tesoro and Garretts that have a good starter. Minelab is at the top of the line and are costly .. My kids found a lot of stuff with theirs.. they still use it too. What I have was a top of the line 10 years ago, a Whites 6000, and a Whites Surf PI. I have used the Surf PI for gold because it can block out the black iron sand and see the gold...
 
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Trail Wonky

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BillyBadly said:
What's a good, relatively inexpensive starter option? My dad had a metal detector when I was a kid, and I loved going out with him, treasure hunting. It's definitely something I'd be interested in pursuing again...
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9Mike2 is spot on! I am also a big fan of Whites www.whiteselectronics.com Their entry level detector is the Coinmaster for $200, and the Treasuremaster is one step above that for $300. I would recommend the treasure master if you have the dough, you will enjoy it more. They also sell refurbs for about $50. less. Don't really recommend Garrett although if you get in the middle range of their detectors they become usable. The bottom of the rung from Garrett will set you back $150. I'd go for the refurb Coinmaster for the same price!

I am also a Minelab fan but they definitely are expensive. They have a new line of "Go-find" detectors that range from $200-$300 but I have never used or seen one so not sure what their capabilities are.

A great place to explore all the brands is www.kellycodetectors.com, they sell all brands and all the accessories and goodies to go with them.

Good luck and happy hunting!
 
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Billy "Poserlander" Badly

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Trail Wonky said:
9Mike2 is spot on! I am also a big fan of Whites www.whiteselectronics.com Their entry level detector is the Coinmaster for $200, and the Treasuremaster is one step above that for $300. I would recommend the treasure master if you have the dough, you will enjoy it more. They also sell refurbs for about $50. less. Don't really recommend Garrett although if you get in the middle range of their detectors they become usable. The bottom of the rung from Garrett will set you back $150. I'd go for the refurb Coinmaster for the same price!

I am also a Minelab fan but they definitely are expensive. They have a new line of "Go-find" detectors that range from $200-$300 but I have never used or seen one so not sure what their capabilities are.

A great place to explore all the brands is www.kellycodetectors.com, they sell all brands and all the accessories and goodies to go with them.

Good luck and happy hunting!
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Thanks- I'm almost certain my Dad had a White's.
 
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Jeff D

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I use a prism 3. Find a lot of stuff to. But I have never found a nugget with it. I go all over the Bradshaw Mountains and down by Wickenburg AZ. One time I meet this guy and he had one of them 10,000 dollar ones. The 3 days the guy was there he had to get the dealer guy out there to reprogram it with a computer. He said it needed it because a Jet must have flown over. I always wondered if that was true. But the guy never found anything with it ether. I was always told if you can find a bullet you can find a nugget. And I find a lot of bullets :tearsofjoy:
 
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Trail Wonky

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Jeff D said:
I use a prism 3. Find a lot of stuff to. But I have never found a nugget with it. I go all over the Bradshaw Mountains and down by Wickenburg AZ. One time I meet this guy and he had one of them 10,000 dollar ones. The 3 days the guy was there he had to get the dealer guy out there to reprogram it with a computer. He said it needed it because a Jet must have flown over. I always wondered if that was true. But the guy never found anything with it ether. I was always told if you can find a bullet you can find a nugget. And I find a lot of bullets :tearsofjoy:
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Great story, got a laugh out of that one. Yes, good saying, if you can find a bullet you can find gold. That would be the lead bullet, lead comes in a similar range as gold. As opposed to bullet casings which are copper and brass and are a different part of the spectrum. And when it comes to gold size does matter. [emoji471][emoji12]


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Graeman

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I currently own a Garret AT Pro. My first was a Bounty Hunter purchased from Cabelas. It was good and very easy to use. Like others, I wanted better and went to www.Kellycodetectors.com and purchased the AT Pro. The past 3 years I have been very busy with work and I have not had any time to dig. This week I will be starting a new job that will give me my spare time back so I plan on camping, wheeling and digging. So far, my best finds are 2 & 3 ringers found in Camp Verde, AZ. I really need to get out and dig up some treasures that are hiding just below the surface.
 
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Graeman

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Kellycodetectors always has great sales going on. Sometimes they have a buy 1 get 1 free deal going on. That way you won't have to share with the kids. Excellent prices and they have used ones as well.
 
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Graeman

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He is funny and very knowledgeable. Thank you for posting this, I have not seen any of Jeff's videos before.
 
Graeman

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He makes it look so easy to find gold. That was an excellent video. Now, I wish that I had bought an AT Gold. Looks like I will be buying another MD just for gold hunting.
 
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