White's Beach Hunter or Minelab Excalibur

[boblou]

I have been using various White's detectors since 1971 (currently XLT), but all of these were on land in Missouri or Illinois. Have now moved to Florida (Gulf coast) and want to work around the beaches. I plan on doing some wading (probably not more than 3 feet - don't really like water). Considering either the Beach Hunter or the Excalibur. Will be working both the dry sand and the wet sand. Any suggestions?

 

[Mike (Virginia Beach)]

Either one will fit the bill. I have the Excalibur and feel you will get more depth out of it than with the White's and I also happen to like the wide tone range of the Excal. The White's is cheaper, lighter, and maybe a little better balanced. So you have ergonomics to consider and then technology. The 17 frequency BBS technology, depth, and sensitivity of the Excal is legendary and with good reason. Many have been very successful with the Beach Hunter as well. How stacked is your wallet?

 

[houndawgg]

There's hundreds of dollars differance in the MSRP. Most purchases of these machines never put enough time in whichever choice they made, to benefit from it's capabilities, so if your an occasional hunter, go with the less expensive BHID.
That said, I would choose the BHID. Minelab's a sponsor to this forum so I won't discuss what I think about the Excal, except, it's in the top two for the worst swinging water machine made(above water or wading).
Save yourself about $275 +/- with the BHID and you'll have one of the top two best swinging water machines(above water or wading). It also comes with a extra years warranty over the Excal., transferable to unlimited owners. Battery life in beyond belief and you can use inexpensive Kmart specials as well as rechargeable NMH's. I don't wish battery replacement for an Ecal on my worst enemy. The BHID is only rated to 25ft. submersable depth(99.99999% of water machines are ever used, deeper than that)and the Excal is rated to 200ft. or more(?)
I've never hunted Fla's beaches, but what I've read on the more popular forums, they have low mineralization. This might lead to more choices than you've listed in your question. Hopefully some Fla. hunters will chime in.
Neither machine has a "finds gold chains" reputation, but both are good on rings, with the Excal getting better depth, if that is important to your style of hunting.
Whatever machine you buy, learn it's talk and walk it's walk, and go find some of that Fla. gold.

 

[BEACH HUNTER FROM MASS.]

I have hunted along side guys with the EXCAL. don't see them pulling any more than me.I have gotten gold chains some pretty small.I also got some small earings.From what I've seen the whites do better on the small gold.Well at least the BEACH HUNTER ID,THE CLASSIC III SL W/BLACK SAND SWITCH,AND THE GOLD MASTER.. I have used all 3 of these.The iron mask on the EXSPLORER does help pull some nice rings out of really trashy areas!! Save some cash get the beach hunter id.

 

[RandyNorthridgeca]

I've never used either. I do use the Minelab Sovereign and it's a killer beach machine. If I had to choose between the two you mentioned I go with the Excalibur.

If I were you I'd use you're XLT on the dry sand and I'd get either the White's Surf Master Pro (Pi machine) or a Sovereign for the wet sand.

HH Randy

 

[pi pro]

go with a whites pi pro machine, i use it in daytona beach and love it, it goes really deeeeep and loves gold

 

[Anonymous]

I was a long time XLT user on the Florida beaches , I changed to an Excalibur and have seen my finds increase dramatically ,and I have to dig deeper holes to recover them , the tones take a while to get used to and also not having the graph as a back up but you will soon recognise the tones and most times know if its a good target or not , I dig everything anyway. I suggest doing as I did , take a look at what well respected treasure hunters on the beach are using , Excaliburs & Sovereigns seem to be the choice of many , spend the extra before the wife/girlfreind/kids get there hands on it !

 

[C Hunter]

I started with the XLT and several years later got a BHID.
I have used the BHID in Florida and on Carolina beaches with good success.
The weight and balance are good and I rarely use the XLT (I dig it all and don't really need all the bells and whistles) anymore. Can't say about the Excal, but I can say that I can achieve good depths with the BHID. I recently started diving, so I am considering the Detector Pro Diver.

Happy Hunting.

 

[davidfedder]

I just got the Minelab Excalibur and I really love it. To me it is the easiest metal detector I have ever used. I have been finding so many more rings since getting the Excalibur. I used an Explorer II and Tesoro in the past, but the Excalibur is so much easier to use and learn. I got it mounted on a striaght rod with knob guards. I have actually been finding gold rings in the dry sand with the Excalibur. To me the Excalibur is the best detector I have ever used as far as being able to disguish between what is a good target and what is a bad target. I get the fewest false signals with the Excalibur than any other metal detector I have used. I have found more gold and silver in much less time when using the Excalibur than with any other detector. Lets face it, you may save a few hundred dollars buying a cheaper metal detector, but in the long run, you will more than make up any differences in price after just a few good finds maybe even one good find. I have only had my Excalibur a few weeks and I have already found enough good stuff to half way pay for it besides the enjoyment I have gotten out of it as well as the good exercise. Whenever I use the Excalibur, I know that I could find a ring or chain at anytime. Just knowing that you are going to find something good is a good feeling. I have also been finding so much more change in addition to good finds.

Good luck and happy hunting.

David

 

[EZ2Find]

Excalibur or the new Sov GT. I tried the Beachhunter ID and all I can say is the Minelab machines are a
Rolls Royce and the Whites is a Volkswagen. Need I say more? Besides you get what you pay for

 

[Anonymous]

my suggestion...stay away from whites. Whites is a good machine. but nothing in coparison to the excal. I've had about every manufactor at one time or another and nothing, and i mean nothing, beats the excal


You would waste money on a whites.....

 

[GULDDIGGER]

THERE IS NO OPTION. MINELAB OUT WEIGHS THE COMP. AT ALL COSTS AND YOU CAN DISCRIMINATE AND STILL FIND THINGS TOO!!!!!!!!

 

[BEACH HUNTER IN MASS]

n/t