Excalibur or CTX3030?

[Phillip_in_NM]

I just got a little windfall and the little woman approved a portion for a water machine. Can anyone with experience with both recommend one over the other? I would love to hear ideas about other machines as well, if I'm limiting myself in just considering those two. Thanks for your help!

 

[OldBeechnut]

Tells us about your hunting locations makeup n where you plan on hunting...... in the water, wetsand, deep, saltwater, fresh, lakes, rivers, ocean, Bays...calm water, ruff water...

 

[Phillip_in_NM]

Tells us about your hunting locations makeup n where you plan on hunting...... in the water, wetsand, deep, saltwater, fresh, lakes, rivers, ocean, Bays...calm water, ruff water...

Should've though about that. Thanks for the reminder!

I live in the New Mexico desert. Water use will be limited to streams and lakes and the semiannual trip to the beach. Will always be shallow water/surf. Leaning toward the CTX3030 as a double duty machine for land and water.

 

[Nauti]

That's a difficult decision but a nice situation to be in.If you are doing mostly inland work the 3030 may be a wiser choice.However,people forget that the excalibur will do a great job inland as well,it's basically a sovereign in a waterproof housing so it has pedigree on inland sites.Tough choice.

 

[Water wizard]

If you want an easy machine the Excalibur is super simple. If you want a machine with more technical ability then the 3030 would be the one. If you plan on wading they both are great, if you want to dive and detect then its got to be the Excalibur. Good luck with what ever you get

 

[Fletch88]

For your situation and location the CTX would be my choice. For heavy duty saltwater beach hunting, the Excalibur tricked out by the old beach pirate above!!!

 

[Larry (IL)]

The CTX has worked out great for me in fresh water hunting. I have only had it down to about five feet but no problems and it will find the gold rings. I mainly use it as my primary land detector. There are many less expensive fresh water detectors that would work just fine but since you limited your choices to the two, the CTX would be the way to go IMHO.

 

[KinTN]

If it isn't a dedicated water machine and you have a lot of dry to hunt and cost isn't a concern, I'd definitely go CTX.

 

[OldBeechnut]

I'm a all Excalibur man, but I have to agree with the guys. So from the details you gave us, I would say hands down the 3030. Unless you plan on submerging in the ruff California coastal waters, then the Excalibur or CZ21....

 

[bcoop]

As already posted, since your mainly going to be land hunting with the occasional water hunt, the CTX would be my choice.

I have the trifecta, E-Trac, CTX 3030 and an Excalibur II 1000. I like them all.

 

[gettinrings]

I have the newer EXCALIBUR2 with 10 inch coil and I use it ALOT on land works perfectly all the time...VERY DEEP MACHINE !!!!
Only thing I miss is a meter that tells how deep the target is... but I can sorta tell by how load the signal is..
I hunt mostly lakes and the beach areas of North Carolina and VA.
I'm getting a floating air system this year.. so UNDERWATER I will go !!!!!!
Whatever choice of the two above ... you cant go wrong... it's a MINELAB !!!!!

 

[recout]

I would say the CTX since you are going to have limited water use. Every machine has pro and cons but for $2k the 3030 seems like there is to many problems from guys who hunt at the beach. The seal for the battery fails letting water in, the screws corrode and the lower shaft on some machines have been getting loose where it goes in the upper shaft and you cant tighten it. A new lower shaft is around $75 I think if your out of warranty. I'm sure there is more but that's all I can think of now. But some people don't ever have any problems. but for what you want I don't think I would get a Excal.

 

[robinb]

I would say the CTX since you are going to have limited water use. Every machine has pro and cons but for $2k the 3030 seems like there is to many problems from guys who hunt at the beach. The seal for the battery fails letting water in, the screws corrode and the lower shaft on some machines have been getting loose where it goes in the upper shaft and you cant tighten it. A new lower shaft is around $75 I think if your out of warranty. I'm sure there is more but that's all I can think of now. But some people don't ever have any problems. but for what you want I don't think I would get a Excal.

I have both machines.
Without doubt the ctx is a deeper machine and can detect fine chains (sometimes) which the excalibur can't see at all.

All thees listed problems above were fixed a long time ago.

The excalibur is a lot simpler machine and I still love it, possibly found more with it than my ctx.

 

[HaroldILL.]

Don't count out the CZ-21 as CZ's are awesome land hunters with the 3 tone I.D. and awesome modulated audio. And with the CZ-21 you have a water proof CZ. I had a CZ-20 and have a CZ-21 on the way,But I have always been partial to CZ's. They are simple depth demons!