I'm a Beginner

[Freddy5001]

Hi Everyone,
I really enjoy all your posts. This is my first time posting.
I've been interested in metal detecting for years, but never really had the time to do it or the money to buy one.
Now that the kids are grown and gone, I've have the time and alittle money put aside (up to $500) that I would really like to
get into this.
I love the beach and we go to Rehoboth every year. I would like to get a detector I could use on the sand and in the
shallow surf. I also would like one that could also be used on land, like in parks and school yards. I know I'm asking
alot, but I'd like one that is versatile.
I've been checking out ebay, but I'd like to know from all you "Pro's", what would be a good starter
detector for me and is there a place to buy a good used one where the dealer is reputable.

 

[Chi Town Bruce]

I also suggest you review prior posts like I did. Go back a year or longer, you will find answers to all and any questions you WILL have.
Print them out and bring them with you on hunts, vacations etc.. So keep lurking and join a MD Club, who knows maybe a member has used equipment.

 

[OUTATIME]

Well here is my two cents, for what it's worth...I think, like you said, you might be asking a little too much.

You really have to decide which one you want, a land detector or a water detector.
Most land detectors have a digital readout to let ya know whats in the ground,
where most water proof detectors only have audio (i.e. Excalibur) or maybe some flashing lights (i.e. Whites Beach Hunter ID) to let ya know whats in the ground.

You gotta ask yourself the question, where am I going to spend most of my time detecting, land or sea. If your only going to go to the beach once a year then I wouldn't buy a detector made just for the beach.

If you live near lakes/ocean then I would probably say, for your budget a Whites Beach Hunter ID - although I've never used one there are plenty of people on this board that use and love em. Personally I would say, go ahead and bite the bullet and buy a new or used Excalibur($700 used on ebay), instead of buying and selling, and buying and selling detectors - like I did!

If you plan to hunt for old coins, the only detectors I've had experience on in this area is the Ace 250 and the Minelab Quattro - and I love my 250, and it was cheap about $225.00. The Quattro was good for both wet sand beach hunting and hunting for coins at the local parks but you wouldn't want to get it wet!!!

Hope this helps,

OUTATIME


Happy Huntin

 

[Bobbie]

Beach and water machines are a little different than land machines.......mainly because they have to be basically waterproof in case you drop it in the water.
DetectorPro Pirate......inexpensive beach machine......lightweight easy to use and water resistant. It can take a dunking but cannot be submerged for any length of time. Great machine, we have one for a backup and for guests to use......it will find coins and jewelery 6-8 inches deep. It also works well in the dry sand.
Garrett Ace 250........great land machine.......inexpensive and will more than adequately do the job for you on land or dry sand. The 2 of them together will cost you about $500 if you shop around............Hey, you and your sweetheart can hunt together if you have 2 machines.

Get yourself a good beach scoop too!......don't cheap out in that department.

 

[goldnugget]

I would suggest that you start out with the Garrett Ace 250, I have seen Great Results from this machine. A must have items is a Good set of Headphone's and a good tool to dig with. For the beach ,I don't think anything is finer that one of those 3 prong garden scratcher's from Wally World for about $ 3.00 . You can get down in the sand real quick at the beach. Be sure to cover your holes and I think you have to be careful on the Beaches at Rehobeth during the hours that is opened to the public.

Good Luck, It I can help ,let me know -gosports1@aol.com.

 

[Gulf Hunter]

No one mentioned it, but perhaps you could get a used SOV. I have never used one, but understand that they are available in the price range you mentioned. You do have to be careful not to get the control housing wet, as it is not submersible, but it works equally as well, if not better than the Excal, which I do own and love to use. You may get a used Excal for the price you mentioned, but it would be old and beat to hell, savvy? I'm going to be selling mine off, probably around '09 and won't take less than around $850-$900, with straight shafts. The warranties are almost expired! If there is ANY way you could scrap together enough, there are NICE used Excals on the Findmall Classifieds all the time and that would be the best choice for you. Perhaps you could find an 800, as the smaller coil would be beneficial, for weight and using it on land in the trashier areas. If it rains or you fall over in the waves, no big deal! Best of luck mate!

 

[Freddy5001]

Thanks for all the great advice! I knew I came to the right people

 

[willia in tex.]

welcome to the fourms freddy. here's my 2 cents worth. I don't think you're asking alot. as long as you don't hunt in the rough surf. there really isn't one machine that does it all but a sov. is hard to beat for performance. it does well on the salt beaches as well as on land. I own 2 of them. I usually hunt the beach with a GQAS but there are times when there is alot of iron on the beach so then i'll hunt with the sov. depending on how rough the water is dictates how far I go into the water. I use a military type harness and a canteen holder to put the control box in. works well, it protects it from splashes and from the salty mist when the wind is blowing. the sov. is a bit on the heavy side and takes some time to learn. the learning curve is no problem beach hunting because you're digging everything but iron anyway. and if it;s a big iron target i'll dig them to. land hunting is different there is alot more trash in parks and schoolyards and so you'll need to get used to the different sounds the sov, makes. you can get a used one fairly cheap on ebay and on the fourm classified..There are alot of different detectors out there that are good machines that I can't comment on because I've never used them. Read the different froums, find a club, go to the beach see what people are using, some machines work better in some area's than other's. and visa versa. which ever machine you decide on take time to learn it and have fun. HH

 

[PaPa-Joe-Fla.]

Welcome Freddy, Hope you enjoy the forum as much as I have.You can go to the top of this forum and check Kellyco they have 2 water detectors in there used and refurbished adds. for what you want to spend. One a whites Beach hunter with some warrenty left for 500.00 and a Garretts sea hunter for 450.00, I have no ideal how they work on land , but they are good water machines for the money. I have bought quite a few units from Kellyco and they always treat you right. You may want to check with your local dealer for used are traded in machines. Here is the site.
Good luck and HH. http://www.kellycodetectors.com/preowned/preowneds.htm#garrett

 

[The Bulgarian]

Welcome on board.I think you have to start with Garrett ACE 250.