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2500 Gold settings??
- Thread starter Hangar18
- Start date
Uncle Willy
New member
There are no "gold Settings" on the 2500 as it isn't a gold detector and it doesn't work by magic.. In order to hunt for gold with the 2500 you'll have to learn how to use all metal and ground balance the 2500 to the area you hunt. You can check with Alan ( bearcat4160 ) our resident gold guru for tips on nuggetshooting with the 2500.
Bill
Bill
Bill,
No, I know there's no so called "gold setting", I'm just wondering what settings will be best for frequency, mode, sensitivity, etc. Also, what should I be listening for and or looking for on the treasure screen to determine whether it could be a nugget or not. Any tips for gold hunting would be appreciated. I totally realize that it will many many many hours before I even come close to mastering it, but I want to start off with all the right settings so I'm not completely wasting my time. Also, I would like to know if I should maybe just buy a strictly "gold machine" or will this 2500 work just as well?? I live in the California mother lode(Rough and Ready, Ca) so gold will eventually be my main target.
Eric (beginner)
No, I know there's no so called "gold setting", I'm just wondering what settings will be best for frequency, mode, sensitivity, etc. Also, what should I be listening for and or looking for on the treasure screen to determine whether it could be a nugget or not. Any tips for gold hunting would be appreciated. I totally realize that it will many many many hours before I even come close to mastering it, but I want to start off with all the right settings so I'm not completely wasting my time. Also, I would like to know if I should maybe just buy a strictly "gold machine" or will this 2500 work just as well?? I live in the California mother lode(Rough and Ready, Ca) so gold will eventually be my main target.
Eric (beginner)
Uncle Willy
New member
If your primary concern is nuggets then you should pick up a detector designed for gold. The 2500 will find gold but is a general purpose detector, not specifically designed for prospecting or nuggetshooting. In the Garrett line only the Scorpion and Infinium are classed as dedicated gold detectors. If nuggetshooting was your main concern up front then you should have purchased a gold detector rather than a general purpose machine. It takes a special detector to successfully prospect for gold.
The only way you can hunt for gold with the 2500 with any success is in all metal mode and that requires a good deal of experience so you have a lot to learn if you plan on nuggetshooting with the 2500 or any detector. Nuggetshooting is a specialized phase of metal detecting, not something you can learn over the weekend plus you need a working knowledge of the geology of gold. It isn't just laying around out there like coins in a park..
Bill
The only way you can hunt for gold with the 2500 with any success is in all metal mode and that requires a good deal of experience so you have a lot to learn if you plan on nuggetshooting with the 2500 or any detector. Nuggetshooting is a specialized phase of metal detecting, not something you can learn over the weekend plus you need a working knowledge of the geology of gold. It isn't just laying around out there like coins in a park..
Bill
bearkat4160
New member
Hi Hanger...
Well I have found gold nuggets with my 2500 in California. Of course all metal mode should be used. This is my usual set up if I use the 9.5 stock coil. Which I recommend if the ground can handle it. I use that coil because it is more sensitive than a DD coil like the 10x5 or the new DD 11x8.5".
9.5 coil: All metal mode set on 7.5-9. Ground balance set auto-fast. Threshold set to 5.8. If the ground is noisy and you still are using the 9.5 coil...set it on manual ground balance, then ground balance machine with fast track. If still too much noise lower sensitivity to 7.
For DD coils: If you are away from town you can set sensitivity to 11-12 (max) DD's can handle it. Same threshold. Auto track on fast. For more sensitivity set it on manual grnd bal and set slightly positive. Like 2-4 clicks more.
THe DD coil's are much less sensitive than concentrics, for small nuggets below half gram, you prob wont get a signal on them with the DD's unless you are on your game listening...with headphones. Also because the 2500 has a lower freq than say the AT PRO or Scorpion which even with a DD coil it is hotter on small stuff.
The reason for setting the threshold on 5.8 or between (5.5-6.2). Because you will here very slight threshold breaks from small targets with that setting as apposed to setting it too loud you will miss smaller targets by the ground noise combined with too high of threshold noise, over powering the small signals or targets.
Now the 4.5 coil. This a fun bedrock sniper coil and it will pick up .3-.2 gram nuggies. Can pump more sensitivity too it around 9-10 or more. Wish I had this coil for my Scorpion...(can I have your's Uncle Willy?) Auto ground balance or manual and slightly positive for more sensitivity.
The 2500 in the right right hands will find nuggets, but it isnt a dedicated nugget machine, as it is a universal machine. But its all you have then go for it....the small ones will be harder to find without a higher freg, but who wants small nuggets? That is what my dredge is for...!
Soon I will try the new DD 11x8.5" for hunting nuggets. That is one nice coil and gets the depth of the 12.5 imaging coil. But in hot ground it will supass it. And it will hit a .5 gram nugget fairly well.
Hope this helps!
Alan
Well I have found gold nuggets with my 2500 in California. Of course all metal mode should be used. This is my usual set up if I use the 9.5 stock coil. Which I recommend if the ground can handle it. I use that coil because it is more sensitive than a DD coil like the 10x5 or the new DD 11x8.5".
9.5 coil: All metal mode set on 7.5-9. Ground balance set auto-fast. Threshold set to 5.8. If the ground is noisy and you still are using the 9.5 coil...set it on manual ground balance, then ground balance machine with fast track. If still too much noise lower sensitivity to 7.
For DD coils: If you are away from town you can set sensitivity to 11-12 (max) DD's can handle it. Same threshold. Auto track on fast. For more sensitivity set it on manual grnd bal and set slightly positive. Like 2-4 clicks more.
THe DD coil's are much less sensitive than concentrics, for small nuggets below half gram, you prob wont get a signal on them with the DD's unless you are on your game listening...with headphones. Also because the 2500 has a lower freq than say the AT PRO or Scorpion which even with a DD coil it is hotter on small stuff.
The reason for setting the threshold on 5.8 or between (5.5-6.2). Because you will here very slight threshold breaks from small targets with that setting as apposed to setting it too loud you will miss smaller targets by the ground noise combined with too high of threshold noise, over powering the small signals or targets.
Now the 4.5 coil. This a fun bedrock sniper coil and it will pick up .3-.2 gram nuggies. Can pump more sensitivity too it around 9-10 or more. Wish I had this coil for my Scorpion...(can I have your's Uncle Willy?) Auto ground balance or manual and slightly positive for more sensitivity.
The 2500 in the right right hands will find nuggets, but it isnt a dedicated nugget machine, as it is a universal machine. But its all you have then go for it....the small ones will be harder to find without a higher freg, but who wants small nuggets? That is what my dredge is for...!
Soon I will try the new DD 11x8.5" for hunting nuggets. That is one nice coil and gets the depth of the 12.5 imaging coil. But in hot ground it will supass it. And it will hit a .5 gram nugget fairly well.
Hope this helps!
Alan
Uncle Willy
New member
Thanks for jumping in Alan. I had hoped you would pop in and give this feller some pointers on the 2500 for nuggetshooting as I know you've done fairly well with it but as a beginner this gentleman has his work cut out for him, especially cutting his teeth in metal detecting by starting out with nuggetshooting rather than learning the basics first plus starting out with the 2500 rather than an entry level unit.
I'll loan you my 4.5 for awhile if you send me one of the small nuggets you find with it to add to my test nuggets. It's the last one Garrett had or will have and Mary squirreled it away for me and sent it to me. I sure miss that dear lady.
Bill
I'll loan you my 4.5 for awhile if you send me one of the small nuggets you find with it to add to my test nuggets. It's the last one Garrett had or will have and Mary squirreled it away for me and sent it to me. I sure miss that dear lady.
Bill
Alright!
Way to be there, Alan!
Excellent post!
Hanger18(cool name),bearkat is right on the money with his 2500 prospecting tips.
Always remember, whenever you nuggetshoot, dig everything!
Use no discrimination! Gold nuggets can be anywhere on the LCD display(although typically in the center region)if you don't dig every single target, you could be missing out on some nuggets.
I cannot stress highly enough the importance of getting a 4.5" Scorcher for sniping(as Alan pointed out)especially since the 2500 has a lower freq than dedicated nugget detectors.
Again, as Alan pointed out, use manual ground balance slightly positive will help you to get the smaller nuggets. Not only that, but areas of black sand concentrations will cause the threshold to null out. Black sand is a good indicator of gold. If the threshold nulls out over a particular area, dig up that ground and place in a 5 gallon bucket(or more). Classify the material with a #12 classifier and run it through a sluice box. You can just pan it out, but that's more time consuming. That's a good way to get some gold(fines and flakes)as well as nuggets that the machine would have normally missed.
I have had the 2500 since it came out and I haven't had much luck nugget shooting with it. The Scorpion and Infinium are just exponentially better in that regard. I do suggest that you invest in a dedicated gold machine at some point.
Best of luck to ya!
Happy Hunting!
Way to be there, Alan!Excellent post!Hanger18(cool name),bearkat is right on the money with his 2500 prospecting tips.
Always remember, whenever you nuggetshoot, dig everything!Use no discrimination! Gold nuggets can be anywhere on the LCD display(although typically in the center region)if you don't dig every single target, you could be missing out on some nuggets.I cannot stress highly enough the importance of getting a 4.5" Scorcher for sniping(as Alan pointed out)especially since the 2500 has a lower freq than dedicated nugget detectors.
Again, as Alan pointed out, use manual ground balance slightly positive will help you to get the smaller nuggets. Not only that, but areas of black sand concentrations will cause the threshold to null out. Black sand is a good indicator of gold. If the threshold nulls out over a particular area, dig up that ground and place in a 5 gallon bucket(or more). Classify the material with a #12 classifier and run it through a sluice box. You can just pan it out, but that's more time consuming. That's a good way to get some gold(fines and flakes)as well as nuggets that the machine would have normally missed.
I have had the 2500 since it came out and I haven't had much luck nugget shooting with it. The Scorpion and Infinium are just exponentially better in that regard. I do suggest that you invest in a dedicated gold machine at some point.
Best of luck to ya!
Happy Hunting!bearkat4160
New member
Thanks Metalhead for the comments! I had no choice but to learn the 2500 for nugget hunting as it was all I had for a long time.
Alan
Alan
bearkat4160
New member
Sure I'll go for that deal about the 4.5 coil! Sounds good to me!
Yeh I tell ya Bill, learning nugget hunting with a universal machine was the hard way, but it made me better at nuget hunting with using a real nugget machine and also just a better detectorist for all types of hunting because nugget hunting is one of the toughest types of detecting there is, esspecially with an all-rounder machine.
Alan
Yeh I tell ya Bill, learning nugget hunting with a universal machine was the hard way, but it made me better at nuget hunting with using a real nugget machine and also just a better detectorist for all types of hunting because nugget hunting is one of the toughest types of detecting there is, esspecially with an all-rounder machine.
Alan
Uncle Willy
New member
Yeah it will hone your skills. That's what I was trying to impress upon this gentleman - that it ain't no piece of cake.
Bill
Bill
Uncle Willy
New member
There are others that stand out but so does the price. $300 for the Scorpion is a great price. I'd jump on it. All gold machines are complicated if you don't have any experience with one or with nuggetshooting but the Scorpion is easier than most plus it is a great little coinshooter and relic machine. It's really hot on gold rings.
Bill
Bill