Any metal detector guys out there?

[Bill]

OK- what is a 'good' metal detector and what is the cost?

[Jon Stewart]

OK- what is a 'good' metal detector and what is the cost?

I posted a good detector and the cost. DEUS and new they are around $1500.00

[okrattler]

I've heard stories of people back during the Great Depression days burying their money in jars and stuff in their yard. My buddy has an old homestead on some of his land that is rumored to have money buried on it. The guy that supposedly buried it shot himself in his yard so I don't know how people knew that or why it was rumored. That's just the story.

I might find something cool like that in my moms yard. Not a dead person, money in a jar. I guess the dead body would be cool too if it had money on it. I don't just wanna find a dead body though.

[Chompers]

I like the Garrett ACE for the money but the Pro probably is the better buy

[Blownshelby]

I believe there is dealer for Deus detectors in Norman, OK.

[Chompers]

I believe there is dealer for Deus detectors in Norman, OK.

Garrett is made in DFW

[armadillophil]

Would like to barrow one or buy a cheap one from somebody, lost my wedding ring last year in a gut pile in Kansas. I'm guessing it's gone but would like to check this year.

Hit me up next time you are going and you can borrow mine. I lost my ring on a lease work day filling feeders. Could never find it.

[Jon Stewart]

Was in the Allen Cabela's yesterday and they had maybe 10 different models of detectors with 10 different price ranges. They had the entry level Bounty Hunters and the better Garretts.

[quarterback]

Bought my son a Garrett AT Pro recently. Not sure what all he's found but it seems to be a good machine.

[tvc184]

OK- what is a 'good' metal detector and what is the cost?

There are lots of good brands, a few popular brands, features from basic to advanced and cost from $100 to thousands.

You can get a Bounty Hunter Tracker IV for about $100 and it will detect different metals. Things like the size of coins probably up to about 8” deep can be detected successfully. What you give up is weight (not as light), discrimination/bias where certain metals like iron can be locked out/silenced (great feature if trying for gold and/or silver only), volume, depth measuring, pinpointing feature, etc.

As you move up in price range you can start adding features. Maybe several different tones where it gives a different signal by what type of metal, a depth range such as the detected item is 6”-8” deep, depth range itself like picking up coins 16” deep instead of 8” (or up to several feet deep), blue tooth headphones capable, entire unit waterproof, etc.

If there is a gold coin 7” under the ground, the $100 Bounty Hunter Tracker IV will likely find it just as quickly as a Garrett AT Max with blue tooth headphones for $700. The Garrett however would likely pick up the coin 12” deep and without beeping on every rusty nail or aluminum pull tab from a Coke and that somebody threw down 30 years ago. For $25,000 you can get an OKM that might find something for you that is 25 feet under ground.

They will all find that gold or silver coin that isn’t too deep. What they will do beyond that is what you are willing to dig for and how much money you have to spend and for handheld units, up into the thousands.

From about the $300 - $800 range there are many popular over the counter to choose from like Fisher, Minelab, Garrett, Bounty Hunter, White’s and so on.

I started many years ago with a Bounty Hunter (made in Texas still?) but one of their more high end models. I lost that in a hurricane.

I viewed about 25 YouTube comparison videos between some of the more popular (not necessarily better) brands with various features. One was a guy that had a detector store and he showed maybe 10 different brands from cheap to expensive. He was simply matter of fact and not pushing any particular including the expensive ones, suggesting some lower priced units for beginners.

I ended up being pretty much locked in on the Garrett AT Pro and AT Max and the Minelab Equinox series and Vanquish. I went back and forth and finally decided on the Minelab Vanquish 540. It had roughly the same features and ability as the Garrett AT Pro but about $150 cheaper. The Vanquish was waterproof on the coil but not the upper controls. The Vanquish 340 seemed solid and anither $150 savings but the 540 had a couple of better features that I wanted. The Vanquish came with a little zip up rain coat for the controls in case I wanted to start detecting in the rain…. which I don’t. I think the Garrett is waterproof top to bottom but I don’t remember. For $150 cheaper, it wasn’t a deal breaker for me.

You might end up liking something like the Nokta Simplex that has some nice features for the price range from maybe $200 - $400, like completely waterproof, good discrimination settings, blue tooth capable headphones, vibration for hard of hearing, etc. So for another $100-$150 more than the Bounty Hunter TK4 (about $100 at Academy) you can have some nice features.

So from $100 to $30,000……. but some really nice stuff in the $200-$500 range that will probably get 98% of people having a great time with plenty of power and extras.

In my opinion ….

[Bassdeer]

Hit me up next time you are going and you can borrow mine. I lost my ring on a lease work day filling feeders. Could never find it.

Thanks, will do.

[Bill]

There are lots of good brands, a few popular brands, features from basic to advanced and cost from $100 to thousands.

You can get a Bounty Hunter Tracker IV for about $100 and it will detect different metals. Things like the size of coins probably up to about 8” deep can be detected successfully. What you give up is weight (not as light), discrimination/bias where certain metals like iron can be locked out/silenced (great feature if trying for gold and/or silver only), volume, depth measuring, pinpointing feature, etc.

As you move up in price range you can start adding features. Maybe several different tones where it gives a different signal by what type of metal, a depth range such as the detected item is 6”-8” deep, depth range itself like picking up coins 16” deep instead of 8” (or up to several feet deep), blue tooth headphones capable, entire unit waterproof, etc.

If there is a gold coin 7” under the ground, the $100 Bounty Hunter Tracker IV will likely find it just as quickly as a Garrett AT Max with blue tooth headphones for $700. The Garrett however would likely pick up the coin 12” deep and without beeping on every rusty nail or aluminum pull tab from a Coke and that somebody threw down 30 years ago. For $25,000 you can get an OKM that might find something for you that is 25 feet under ground.

They will all find that gold or silver coin that isn’t too deep. What they will do beyond that is what you are willing to dig for and how much money you have to spend and for handheld units, up into the thousands.

From about the $300 - $800 range there are many popular over the counter to choose from like Fisher, Minelab, Garrett, Bounty Hunter, White’s and so on.

I started many years ago with a Bounty Hunter (made in Texas still?) but one of their more high end models. I lost that in a hurricane.

I viewed about 25 YouTube comparison videos between some of the more popular (not necessarily better) brands with various features. One was a guy that had a detector store and he showed maybe 10 different brands from cheap to expensive. He was simply matter of fact and not pushing any particular including the expensive ones, suggesting some lower priced units for beginners.

I ended up being pretty much locked in on the Garrett AT Pro and AT Max and the Minelab Equinox series and Vanquish. I went back and forth and finally decided on the Minelab Vanquish 540. It had roughly the same features and ability as the Garrett AT Pro but about $150 cheaper. The Vanquish was waterproof on the coil but not the upper controls. The Vanquish 340 seemed solid and anither $150 savings but the 540 had a couple of better features that I wanted. The Vanquish came with a little zip up rain coat for the controls in case I wanted to start detecting in the rain…. which I don’t. I think the Garrett is waterproof top to bottom but I don’t remember. For $150 cheaper, it wasn’t a deal breaker for me.

You might end up liking something like the Nokta Simplex that has some nice features for the price range from maybe $200 - $400, like completely waterproof, good discrimination settings, blue tooth capable headphones, vibration for hard of hearing, etc. So for another $100-$150 more than the Bounty Hunter TK4 (about $100 at Academy) you can have some nice features.

So from $100 to $30,000……. but some really nice stuff in the $200-$500 range that will probably get 98% of people having a great time with plenty of power and extras.

In my opinion ….

Thanks, that explains it well.

[Native Texan]

I’ve been a member of a metal detecting club for years, and fortunate to have access to some great sites our members have permission to hunt. I see what the many different detectors find on the group hunts. I’ve noticed that the multi frequency Garrett Apex consistently finds items that the AT Pro and even the Minelab Equinox missed. The guys using the Apex have other more expensive machines but the Apex is the one they use. It’s a great machine for around $500.
I have a AT Pro, but I prefer to use my 25 year old Garrett CX3 because I get much greater depth with it. If I were to buy another machine it would probably be a Apex or Deus.

[Bard]

I owned surface gold mines and claims in California. Built desert mine setups and was around a lot of detectors. I can tell you the more you spend the deeper you go. A good detector to find "buried" treasure is going to be in the 4k to 5k range.
Surface detectors are cheaper of course. It's like most things in life where you get what you pay for.

[Radar]

I found a few pieces of broken glass on my farm in a place where there is nothing. I had a guy come out with a metal detector and he found these in the same area. Old axe head, cinch buckle, part of a harmonica, piece of an old sheep herder stove and few square nails.