Question about real small targets

[Canewrap]

A gent on another forum (relic hunting in nature) asked this question:

I guess my question would be, If your detector is giving you a "faint deep signal" of 6 in or more how do you determine it is not a for example a copper bb at 1.5 in? That seems to be the trouble I am running into. I do understand I will gain much more knowledge the more I detect and dig, and that I should dig every signal . I am just trying to get some suggestions on what some of you guys and gals do if you run into this same scenario. Does your mxt respond in that way?"

I've wondered myself if there are some tricks to determine its a bb, real small foil piece, or rivet snap off a pair of pants. So far, the only way I've been able to find such small targets myself has been my handheld pointer. I guess the DX-1 is a great help in this regard, but are there any other tricks to determine if your target is that small?

 

[khouse]

I don't know how you can tell the difference. I dug a faint signal the other day only to find a half lead split shot in the grass. I have had different brands of detectors and if there's a trick I don't know it? I don't trust the depth meters. I just go by the pinpoint tone. But I sure though I was going to dig down 8 inches!

 

[robert roy]

Unless your psychic there just isn't anyway to know. You'll just have to dig it out.
Keep plugging away...opps. Did I make a pun?

Regards
Robert Roy

 

[xwyokid]

Not trying to be sarcastic but, you gotta diggem. Just yesterday I was hunting an old home site and got a solid, solid penny reading. I dug up a perfectly good rivet!!!

 

[BarberBill]

When it's all said and done (dug) your eyes are the only truly certain method of discrimination. That's the reason those that "dig it all" are the ones that generally end up with the highest percentage of silver and gold jewelry finds. I once dug the head of a horseshoe nail at nearly 8 inches. Oh well, at least that did impress me with the sensitivity of the machine I was using.
Cheers and HH
Bill

 

[MeNstick]

I dig pretty much every thing, so my technique is pretty much the same each time. I'll pull a plug and listen for a signal in the hole or in the plug. The best way is to get a Sun Ray pinpointer. If it's a deep target, the Sun Ray will barely respond (5 to 6" or deeper on a coin sized or smaller target). If it's shallow, it will be determined the minute you sweep the area (signal will be stronger than the depth reading you received from the MXT). This also works for deep or larger targets that are undesirable (tin cans, large iron, etc.). If you sweep and pinpoint with the MXT and it reads 3" (with a loud signal response), and you use the Sun Ray pinpointer and the unit gives you a signal as a deep responding target (faint response), more than likely it'll be a deep large target. HH Rick

http://photoshow.comcast.net/watch/ev2cZ4hT

 

[ne_seeker]

I also vote to dig the target. I have found a number of small colonial buttons that seem to match the signal you described.