First Hunt with Minelab CTX

[mtoddsos]

I recently upgraded from a Garrett AT Pro to the MineLab CTX, which is a major difference in about every respect. I broke my "first hunt" into 2 days for different types of metal detecting.

Day 1 was a relic hunt at a Civil skirmish during General Price's 1864 Raid in Missouri. I was running in relic mode with +3 sensitivity and the stock coil. Of the finds the best ones to note is the small piece of a cannonball "confederate," 1-lead ball from a scatter shot "confederate," 1-32 cal. buck & ball "confederate," 1-braided piece of the snaffle bit "sadly I did not find the ring," 1 horse shoe from a draft horse it has square nail out lines "not sure if it is period or not," 1-small piece of smaller horseshoe, "also not sure if it is period." A small brass strip, "if anybody can possibly identify what this came from please let me know." Overall a successful first day of relic hunting in an area that has very iron rich soil.

Day 2 was a coin shoot in a trashy area mixed with old and new trash and coins. I was running stock coin mode with the standard coil. I didn't find any silver coins but I did find $3.00 face. 31 pennies, 2 dimes and 6 quarters. I dug very little trash but a few cans to try and dig one of those pesky nickels that I never did dig with the AT Pro. No luck today, but there's always tomorrow.

I guess I should thank Bart from Big Boys Hobbies for giving me a sweet deal that couldn't pass up on for the Minelab CTX and Ironman200081 for helping me set up my machine. Check out Ironman200081 on youtube for the video of our relic hunt. Thanks for reading.

 

[greedykind]

May i ask how you came to the determination that the items were confederate?

 

[ironman200081]

Good job on the first 2 hunts! I should have thought to switch my wireless channel sooner so our machines could run right next to each other. I think site #2 has a lot more goodies in store for us. As you learn the CTX, you will be better able to hear those deep signals. My two silvers there were over 9 inches deep, and I definitely would have passed them up during my first few hunts with a new machine. Practce, practice. Looks like we should have better weather starting next weekend.

Oh, @greedykind, we were hunting at the rear of the Union lines. Safe to assume it was Confederate incoming fire.

 

[mtoddsos]

At least we know now about the what the interference is like for the CTX. I'm glad you brought that up, probably a good topic for discussion. Make sure that your wireless modules are set for different channels before you go detecting.

As for the items found, they were found where the union line was at. .32 cal. "buck and ball" was a common type of ammunition used by the confederate forces who were often poorly equipped and using rifles and shotguns from the 1840s and before in Missouri. This item had been fired and was flattened slightly on one side. By 1864 Union soldiers fielded the Springfield Model 1861 or 1863 which fired a .58-cal round or the Colt Army pistol which fired a .44 cal or Colt Navy with a .36 cal shot. The scatter shot was a commonly used artillery type used by the confederate army and was also found where the union line was moving through. This also is consistent with both the Union and Confederate battle reports, which ironman200081 and I studied for hours in order to locate the battle lines.

Part of the fun of metal detecting is learning about the history of the area you are detecting.