Metal Detectors

[+SLO Trekker]

Looking into a metal detector. Costco has a few models. Any input on the Bounty Hunter or Famous Trails brands? What model do you use or would you recommend for a beginner (nothing fancy required)?

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

We use the Pioneer - Bounty Hunter EX. It lets you lock out 4 different metals/alloys. This helps by cutting out the iron based metals. Nothing fancy, simple, and it works for us.

 

After you get your detector go to a couple of benchmarks that you have found and use the detector to get a feel for the sound it makes for the disks.

 

It has helped us find several that we would not have found otherwise.

 

John

[mloser]

I have the Famous Trails detector and it has served me very well. It picks up benchmarks about 4 inches below ground and has saved me countless prodding and shoveling since I have gotten it. I am sure I have located at least 5 marks I never would have found without it, and have found others much faster then I used to. I simply turn the discrimination totally down so it picks up anything, then tune it like the book says, and start using it. It won't pick up rivet benchmarks though.

[Photobuff]

I must have the same one mloser has, as it seems to work the same way. In general, your usable depth will be about the diameter of the head. The bigger the head, the deeper you go. These cheapies are not bad, and a piece of bronze will give a nice increase in tone. Beer cans generally give a louder and more annoying tone, whereas small pieces of iron give a null. Large pieces of iron sound a lot like brass, but are usually larger than a benchmark. About a third of my finds have been due to the metal detector, and even where I didn't need it, it speeded things up by quite a bit. Hint- adjust the tuning for a fairly low level, as that will increase the sensitivity- experiment with some metal objects to get a feel for it, don't just head out in the field. You want to be sure you've actually searched for something and not been fooled by a non-functioning metal detector

[+Klemmer]

I've been looking for something light enough to carry easily in my pack or on my belt, and still not a toy (i.e. fairly sensitive, etc.). I've got a connection in the electronics business, and I have ordered one of those airport security wands, with right of return if I don't like it. I'll report back in a couple weeks on my results. I have no idea how it will work on benchmarks, but it won't cost me anything to try it out.

[+Ernmark]

..mine is a Famous Trails model also - the 49.95 model - I tend to carry it along anytime I see a description "AT GROUND LEVEL" as that usually means BELOW ground level. I also have a replica USGS brass "paperweight" benchmark I got a few years ago from mountainclimbingawards.com which I keep in the car to to test the detector's batteries (swinging it over the car seems to do the same thing, too) ...also comes in handy to show a curious resident what you're looking for.. My results have been about 50% benchmarks & 50% beer cans (had no idea Miller Lite has been around since 1931!

[mloser]

I used to work for an concert venue and they had a bunch of those wands for security purposes. I took a benchmark disk to the security office and played with one a bit before deciding they weren't suited for what I wanted. It seemed to register only a couple of inches away from the disk as I held it in my hand. Granted, it was a totally unscientific test that consisted of me holding a benchmark disk and waving the wand over it. If I remember correctly I had to be about 2-4 inches from it to get a buzz at all.

Your actual mileage may vary.

[+maconart]

I purchased one of the Ranger Hand Held wands for about $20.00. It has guided me to many a mark in the dirt and grass. It even works on grass covered Headwalls. Lightweight and easy to carry. I will admit there have been wider areas that I needed to cover where a bigger unit would work and save me a lot of time.