Hey Guys I was wondering if ya'll could help me. I figure this would be the perfect place to get the answer I need. A work colleague wishes to buy a metal detector for her brother who has wanted one for a long time. He will be a novice prospector so please take that into account. She has a $600.00 budget at the moment so if you could give me some advice to pass on that would be great. Cheers Chris
Where do you think he will use it, parks and beaches or out the bush? Basically you wont get a great gold nugget machine for $600. Minelab have a machine for about $850, the 705 model. Very good for coins and jewellery/relics. Garrett is another brand well worth a look. Send member Squiggles a PM, he will point you in the right direction, or check out his website which is chocker-block with the right info. http://www.prospectingaustralia.com.au/forum/
^^^^ Don't mind plugging Squiggles' website, or Community as it is now referred to. Should spend more time there myself, but been too busy stacking lately to go detecting.
I have a Minelab X-Terra 705 - great for coin shooting, have not taken it prospecting yet - I don't think it's even worth trying in Vic as it's not a pulse induction machine. But for beaches, parks - fantastic. Trouble is it picks up TOO much stuff - if there's a splinter of copper in the ground it will find it. Easy to start ignoring good signals amongst the bad, but I still get a lot of change with it.
+1, the budget's a little tight for a gold machine but there are many coin and relic detectors on the market for under $600. All detectors can detect gold, its just the gold specific ones are designed / configured to handle the harsh ground conditions where gold deposits are commonly located. If we can get a little more info on the type of detecting and general location, it will make it easier to suggest a suitable machine within budget. Squiggles.
So what sort of coin is he looking at to get into a good cond second hand gold machine. Thanks again for all your help?
I would like help on what to buy I'm looking at the minelab x-terra 305 is it a decent piece of equipment for the price? im interested in gold and silver of course I will use it at the beach and forest/old roman ruins.
Do minelab still make the 505? that would be in budget. A good second hand PI from minelab will be in the thousands, you really need to look at where and how often he is going to use it.
Centenario, that will work no issues. Just remember despite the hype it is an entry level VLF machine and you will not get FBS or BBS performance or discrimination. So on hunted out fields an etrac or ctx will smoke it.
Thanks mate i don't know much about prospecting and I'm looking for something entry level that can find me some decent finds, is the X-terra 305 waterproof for shallow water? I just want the best entry level equipment for the money i can't afford to get it wrong
^^ It isnt waterproof, you may be able to get the coil wet but I wouldnt recommend it. I started with a xterra 300 ten years ago and it made some good finds. I use an etrac now and the difference is huge but I stepped up over the years from the 300 to an SE and then an etrac, it comes down to experience and being in the right place. I would love to be in Spain or the uk, just remember you have to walk over it, does not matter what detector you use. If I had to choose I would always go a minelab, but then I am an Aussie.
Minelab sounds good to me! and I can find a brand new one in Spain, they are quite overpriced the entry level x-terra 305 sells at 375 euros! I'm not sure about the UK but in Spain you can get in trouble with the police for detecting around anywhere with maybe the exception of the beach you have to be very stealthy which is not easy carrying the equipment around. From what I heard there aren't many gold nuggets around is mostly coins and jewelry that you might find if you are very lucky.
