Civil War & Detector Question..

[RELIC_HUNTER]

Just curious on what type of machine,past or present,is being used for relic hunting..I have used different models and find that the Garrett MasterHunter 7X gives me the best results..I removed the electronics from the steel control box and placed it in a plastic housing which reduced the weight by 75%..I modified the ten turn ground balance pod to except [ mount ] the Whites double stack control knobs..It is a deep seeker and my #1 relic machine....

 

[brnn53]

I mainly use a Nautilus 2B with the White's setup. I also won't hesitate to grab the Tejon either.
Mike

 

[ksdigger]

You got the right idea RELIC HUNTER! A light machine is a MUST!!! WEIGHT is a BIG consideration when chosing a relic machine. As light as my Whites MXT is, I still feel like my arm is about to fall off at the end of the day and I'm sure that goes for any machine out there if you swing it long enough!!! Hip mount may be a consideration!

 

[Canewrap]

I'm using an X-terra 70 with 10.5" DD coil and its light enough to swing all day and gets good depth. I like it better than the MXT I was using.

 

[JCJEXPLORER]

Was the Explorer XS now it's the E-trac. My arm feels like it is going to fall off after a full day of swing.(8HRS) Will have to say that the balance on the E-trac is better than my old XS.

 

[therick]

n/t

 

[ngrelic]

I switched from my 1266x to a Minelab xterra 50 with a 10.5" DD coil. Making deeper (and more) finds in "hunted out" spots. In my area I think you need a machine with manual ground balance.

 

[GRAY GHOST]

hi rh, i like using my tesoro cibola. it's lite as a feather and is a deepseeker. it just loves brass and specializes in recovering small items. i'm looking to get the tejon soon, it's like a cibola on steroids! hh!

 

[ngrelic]

Just got a new Minelab Safari yesterday. We will see how good of a relic machine it is.

 

[johnreb1980]

Just got a new Minelab Safari yesterday. We will see how good of a relic machine it is.

You going to try it out today Barry? If you get to, let us know what you find. Jonathon

 

[Deno]

From what I have seen the Nauti is the relic machine.

 

[Low-Boy/LCPM]

For me in Calif it is the F75 and the DD coil...deep fast and great in iron and at unmasking...lite

 

[ngrelic]

You going to try it out today Barry? If you get to, let us know what you find. Jonathon

Took it out for a couple of hours yesterday afternoon. Found a fired carbine bullet and half a 3 ringer that was in a fire. Got some learning to do.

 

[towvan]

You going to try it out today Barry? If you get to, let us know what you find. Jonathon

Took it out for a couple of hours yesterday afternoon. Found a fired carbine bullet and half a 3 ringer that was in a fire. Got some learning to do.

Glad to see that you are getting out with that Safari Barry,Good luck with it. Don sold me an Infinium the other day so I also have alot of learning to do. We need to all get together and go hunting sometime.

Van

 

[ngrelic]

I am going to try to hunt this weekend at some point. I have been trying to get together with Jonathon again for well over a month now. My schedule (or lack thereof) has been goofy to say the least. If we could all get together to do some digging that would be great. You guys let me know when you can go and I will try my best to make the time, even if I have blow off a bluegrass session.

Hope the new Infinium works out for you....The contols on the Safari are easy enough but I will have to learn what it is telling me....totally different than any machine I have ever used.

Holler At Me Guys,
Barry

 

[Wesley]

Relic Hunter,

I have used the White's XLT, the Minelab Explorer XS and II, the Nauti IIBA, and a Tesero Tejon. I bought the new Minelab Etrac in November of 2008 and I have not even cared to look back at the other detectors. All of them are great detectors when used to their fullest potential, but overall the Etrac just nails ever area that I have taken it to. I hunt from Suffolk to Petersburg to Richmond (Virginia) and it handles ever type of ground with the same performance. I mainly hunt Civil War relics, but I do like to hunt home sites (1700's to 1800's) and found that the Etrac beats every machine I have used.

The Nauti, when you are hunting non trashy areas, is a great machine with depth that will blow your mind. Put it in a home site and you will be digging like a mole and the weight......5 hours of hunting and your arm is done! My second favorite is my Tejon. My experience has been great with this machine. LIGHT and great depth! It handles well around here, but when I have hunted highly mineralized soil it gets difficult. Not much difference in performance between the Nauti and Tejon to me.

If it was up to me, I say the Etrac! It is well balanced, lighter than previous Minelabs, depth is great, many potential programs and options to suit any hunting you will do, and great discrimination.

These are just my OPINIONS and others may not agree so take that for what it is worth and good luck!

Wes

 

[RelicDigger1]

Like most, I've used the majority of the detectors out there with the exception of ML. My two choices are the Nautilus IIB or Ba and the Fisher 75. Both have their place.

The Nautilus is simply the deepest-seeking unit I've carried. Period. I've tried a White's with a big loop, FIsher with a big loop, Tesoro Tejon with their big loop and none could beat the Nautilus. Nothing against those detectors at all. But we hunt camps that have little iron and relics that have sunken into South Carolina's sugar sand coastal islands deeper than the London Underground.

However, if we hit a house site or camp kitchen or other iron bed, it's the Fisher's turn. I haven't seen any detector with a quicker recovery speed between targets, which means there is less masking.

My two pence.

Richard