Need help deciding which model to invest in, please

[dpharo]

Hey all,

I'm just getting into metal detecting and have been reading forums and searching around the internet a ton. When I was younger, my uncle gave me an old White's to mess around with and I've recently been thinking a lot about getting a nice metal detector. I live in Florida so the beaches are my best bet, but I travel a lot and would love to do some hunting inland as well. I've seen great reviews for the MXT and pro, but also took an interest in the beach hunter 300 since it's capable of underwater usage and I'm a big time diver and my work takes me to the keys a lot. I've also seen a lot about the v3i, but sounds like it's a more advanced option and wouldn't be great for a beginner. I wouldn't mind having a great detector that is semi water proof that I can use at the beach and inland. If anyone could point me in the right direction so I can start seriously looking at buying one, I'd really appreciate it! Thanks!

Regards,

Devon

 

[dirt lizard]

One machine has the best of both worlds. It's called the MX Sport. Great machine from what I've read about it.

 

[Tahts-a-dats-ago]

I have the V3i, the MX5, and the BH 300.

I agree that the V3i is probably not the best choice for someone just getting into metal detecting. It is a great machine though (my personal favorite).

I believe the BH 300 has been discontinued, but it is likely that some of the forum sponsors will have one in stock. It is a dual frequency machine and is water proof to 25 feet. I can't tell you how it does against other machines in its class - I haven't used the other machines - but I can tell you that it will go deep and can discriminate out much of the junk. It is not the machine I'd choose for hunting dry land.

The MX5 is a light-weight machine, very powerful and a joy to use. It is a threshold machine (it makes some noise) but can be made to run quiet (it'll lose depth running it silent). It is very easy to operate and it is weather resistant (I take that to mean it can survive a brief rain shower). It is a single frequency machine and it loves nickels (that is a very good thing - since gold is frequently in that range).

I have no experience with the MX Sport (I would love to get one though). It would not be my choice for salt water use though, since it is a single frequency machine I doubt that it will do all that well in and around salt water.

I haven't used the MXT ALL Pro either, but it is a machine that I'd strongly consider for usage on land. It is not waterproof though, so I wouldn't consider it for hunting in water (especially not salt water).

Whites also has the Surfmaster Dual Field. It is designed for salt water usage. It is a PI machine, so no discrimination (you'll dig everything).


Were it me and I wanted to engage in the same type of hunting that you have mentioned, I would purchase two machines (one for salt water and another for everything else).

The salt water machine is simple (IMO) - the BH 300.

The everything else machine is not so simple (IMO). I chose the MX5 because it was much less expensive than the V3i that I already owned. I highly recommend the MX5 and believe it to be a machine that hunts well above its class.

If I had not already owned the V3i, I probably would've gone with the MXT ALL PRO; it has such a huge following that it must (in my opinion) be considered.

The MX Sport was not an option when I bought my MX5. Had it been it is very likely that I would have bought the Sport. I say that simply because it is waterproof.

If you shop carefully (call the forum sponsors) you can get both a salt water machine and a land machine for less money than a V3i. Don't forget the other items you'll need (scoop, hand digger, pin-pointer, etc..). If you call several forum sponsors asking for a package deal on all those items, it is extremely likely that you'll get a great deal.

 

[mntnflyr4fun]

I have owned a V3i, MXt and now own a MXT PRO.
The V3i is pretty much a non-starter for someone new to detecting. It is very complicated and difficult to learn although is a fine machine once mastered.
The MXT line is as close to perfect as Whites ever got, and the Pro puts a few needed features on an already awesome machine.

The Pro is in my opinion the best starter machine available. It is a simple turn on and go machine with tons of upside to grow into. You could own that machine for years and never be outgunned. And the number of coils available to customize it for different ground or hunting objectives is a huge upside.

I would buy a Pro with either a 10" D2 coil, or the 6x10dd and then plan on getting a smaller coil like a 4x6 shooter or the 5.3 concentric for the tight spots or heavy trash.

You will never regret owning a MXT Pro as it can prospect, hunt relics and beach hunt due to its fast recovery speed and audio threshold that allows it to hunt DEEP coupled with superior ground tracking capabilites,that were developed and implemented in the GMT (whites high end gold machine).

The otheres are fine machines but the broad capabilites of the MXT put it a notch above.
IMHO
good luck with your choice

 

[mntnflyr4fun]

Additionally, unless you are planning on doing some prospecting, a Std. MXT provides all the same functionality as the Pro except for some Tone ID options. In fact the MXT Std (E series or 300) provide a pull tab notch feature that may be of interest to someone primarily hunting parks etc. The reason I bought a Pro was for the Ground Grab function hen prospecting and the increased number of tones. The reality is that the ground grab is strictly a convienience feature as you can accomplish the same thing with a non-Pro model by just cycling the Trac toggle switch. Backlight, may be a nice feature, but I didn't upgrade for that as if I am hunting low light I usually have a headlamp on, so that leaves the tones which are a benefit as with multiple tones the machine will give you a little more audio information which gets your brain involved in a different way than just looking at the screen and hearing a single good tone beep. I am in favor of more audio inputs as that is where the detector really "talks" to you. E/300 series are quite a bit cheaper on the used market than the Pro versions and all the coils are interchangeable.

 

[quicksilver]

Mxt pro, I thinks it's whites best machine they ever built. I've owned a bunch of different whites, some are collecting dust, some get used once in a while, my mxt pro gets used nearly everyday and when I travel it goes with me. It's turn on and go, and with the right coil option, it will hang in there with machines that cost double the price. Mxt pro, you won't regret it.

 

[MattBullSummerville]

Of the detectors mentioned the ones that are water proof are the BH300, MX Sport and the Dual Field pulse induction. You can use all the ones mentioned for dry or wet sand ocean beaches with some sucess. But one slip in the ocean or a rough wave and you may find you are sending a detector back to Whites for a repair if it's not water proof.. I've used the MXT, MX5, and MX Sport at the beaches here in the Charleston SC area. These detectors are more do it all type of detectors than beach machines.

In my opinion you would will be better off with a beach detector, BH300 (dual frequency) or the Dual Field pi. Then use the MX5 or MXT as your inland detector. You can go with the MX Sport for wading and snorkeling in fresh and salt water up to 10 feet deep and search inland with it as well. The MX Sport is very sensitive machine and will go as deep as the MXT All Pro. Some MXT users who have tried the MX5 and the MX Sport do not care for the digital sound of the detector, and prefer the anolog sound better. I've gotten used to the tones on the MX5 and MX Sport. Had the Sport not came out I'd still be using the MXT, indeed a great all around detector with plenty of features.

 

[Nauti]

I own a bhid 300 and it is a brilliant beach machine.Ive owned mxt's and m6's.......again brilliant machines.However,if beaches are going to be your main points of interest,the mxt is'nt the greatest on the wet sand.....it won't come close to the bhid.