Home› Metal Detecting

Since expensive isn't always best...

danarchydanarchy Posts: 284
in Metal Detecting
Howdy all. Well, after contimplating MDing for 6 years, I have decided to do it. Seems my friend has been harboring the same ideas. So, the questions are pretty basic(and i'm sure answered 100Xs already)...What will be a good machine to hunt in desert sand? We're in Vegas and plan to hunt somewhat locally to 2-300 miles around. Well be hunting basically anything of value. Monitary or otherwise. Coins, nuggets, brass...blah blah blah. We of course expect to see riverbeds(not in vegas) dunes, and sparce grass lands. Also wondering if the same machine will do well in "the backyard, or school grounds."Suggestions? Got one or two for sale? Thanks for your time
dAn
image It's Her's

Comments

  • DesertRatDesertRat Posts: 1,791 ✭
    Welcome!


    If you browse through this forum you'll find numerous threads asking the same basic question and from what I've seen the common consensus on a 1st detector for all-around general use seems to be the Garrett ACE 250.

    As for the title of your post, you're right, expensive is not always best but it really comes down to personal affordability and personal preference.
    The Musical Road
  • coinvac41coinvac41 Posts: 130 ✭
    WELCOMEimage I agree with Desert Rat that the Garrett Ace 250 will give you a lot of bang for your buck on coins and other lost items. The Fisher 1236X is also a great machine but I don't about the sensitivity to gold nuggets on either of these machines. I guess if the nugget is big enough it really wouldn't matter.image
    DEPARTMENT OF REDUNDANCY DEPARTMENT
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,530 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Howdy, Dan. Haven't seen you around the forums in a while?

    The Ace 250 is a tough deal to beat.

    I do not know if your desert dirt will require a specialized machine or not. I see the first to recommend the Ace 250 was our own DesertRat, so I see no reason why it wouldn't perform well.

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • GaCoinGuyGaCoinGuy Posts: 2,761 ✭✭✭✭
    I use a GTAx550, and it does okay in hard soil. Our red clay up here is funky with minerals. But it was easy to learn..............just wish I had more time to get out. Been seriously thinking on selling it since it's been way too long since I used it.
    imageimage

  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,530 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I just sold my GTAx-550 after upgrading to a 2500, but that is a great middle-of-the-line machine.

    Of course, the 250 does almost everything the 550 does (minus the dual discrimination modes), for half the price, making it a better bet for a starter machine.

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • danarchydanarchy Posts: 284
    Hey, thanks for the imput!

    Lord: Life got in the way of the hobby for a few years. I started lurking about 6 months ago, and started posting again last month. I did a pretty big liquidation of my collection in 03. I did keep some odd & ends, mostly darkside stuff. I do still have the holed dimes you sent me tho image It's good to be back...and learning again. At the point I stopped signing in I think I had read every post on the "new" board. I am really floored by how "outta hand" moderns have gotten, but loving the fact that you can buy a MS69 cent for under $20.

    Again, thanks everyone
    dAn
    image It's Her's
Sign In or Register to comment.