No, I am not saying that it is a great pick for such a task, but if you've got the right coil and the right adjustment and use the right approach to nugget hunting, the IDX Pro can do it.
Will you get the tiniest nuggets out there? Nope. But whether you're using the IDX Pro, MXT, Lobo SuperTRAQ, Fisher Gold Bug or any other detector capable of hunting for nuggets, you MUST remember that the #1 challenge you are going to have is proper selection of a site to hunt. You MUST hunt where there's the possibility of finding gold nuggets, Not just a "gold bearing" or "gold producing" area, but a "gold NUGGET producing" area!
Here's a quick little story. Back in the late 1970's and into the early-to-mid 1980's there was a definite "gold rush" to Australia. More than anywhere else, the big-sized gold that had been laying there for so long waiting to give out a 'beep' did more to fuel the Electronic Prospecting bug than anywhere else in the world. More than Arizona, more than California, more than Alaska or some spot in Georgia.
If you wanted to be a really serious "nugget Hunter" then you wanted to be hunting in Australia. One individual I know did just that, moving there for 10 years and dedicating himself to hunting those elusive gold nuggets. Gold prices were climbing, and there was a lot being found. I'll guarantee you that he found his share! (Wouldn't have hung around there for a decade if he wasn't!!)
He works for a major detector manufacturer, and had been very involved in the hobby professionally, too, selling detectors and helping others. To this day he is one of the most helpful when asked.
When visiting him a dozen years ago I asked him about the makes and models he used. At the time, there were some really big finds being made over there, and I know that in those earlier days of VLF/TR-Disc. and early VLF/VLF-Disc. (motion) there was a lot that went on (and it hasn't stopped) where marketing potential and marketing desires could mean $$$$. if you happen to be the one who found a story-book nugget with a particular make and model (or claimed to have used a particular make and/or model).
There was a lot of promotion for the models operating around the 15
