Wonder why you're not finding rings?

[DaveNV]

I started metal detecting in the mid-1970s, when I bought my first detector, a used Jetco BFO. Didn't find a whole lot, but enough to keep my interest. In 1980, I bought my first "serious" detector, a Garrett Deepseeker. I found lots of silver coins and lots of gold rings with that and some of the subsequent models I bought. I noticed over the last 10 years or so, my gold ring count has really dropped off, although I have kept up with the latest and greatest detector technology. Within the last five years, I've owned a Garrett ACE 250, Fisher F75, F75 LTD. Minelab Exterra 70, Whites GMT, Tesoro Lobo ST, and Tesoro Tejon. Although I did find some gold nuggets with the LST, I have found zero gold rings during this time. I'm currently swinging a Fisher Gold Bug Pro and Garrett AT Pro. I found my first gold ring in five years (14K) two weeks ago (I've also dug threee silver rings and five junk ones). The difference? I got my nephew interested in detecting and helped him buy a Fisher GB Pro. He has found three gold and four silver rings in the two months he's had the new detector. And that's because he took my advice to dig everything. In short, I've become lazy and too reliant on the great discrimination capabilities of my detectors. These machines, no matter how technologically advanced, are just tools, which give one an "indication" of what is passing under their coils. My latest machines are really great in IDing dimes, nickles and quarters. But the really valuable targets still fall in the range of junk targets. So, I'm going to be digging a lot more junk and, undoubtedly finding a lot more rings. The rings are out there. We went out this morning, and my nephew found a nice ladies 10K ring, which fell squarely in the nickle range of his Gold Bug Pro. So, there's really no secret...if you want more rings, you've got to dig more junk.

HH,

Dave

 

[Smudge]

Too true. I don;t even bother with TID screens anymore. Once I've set me discrimination, that's it. I dig every good sounding signal I get, and maybe a few "iffy" ones too.

 

[Wile.E]

still have not owned a newer tid machine but even with older analog and beep and dig machines that you know a guessing game dig it.

 

[slingshot]

Yeah, ever since I got my Compadre, I've found 4 gold rings. Have to carry a trash pouch now. One of the rings was vertical and gave a double beep just like a coin on edge.

 

[Craig]

I agree with you 100% !!!! I too had TDI machines and I found myself getting lazy ! I chose to pass up junk for the good stuff. I started to realize that my gold and jewelry count had gone way down.Just didn't seem to find hardly anything worth
anything. I had a TDI machine I was always programming, I got to the point I was wondering what I was passing bye. Even my nickle count went way down. Then I sold my fancy TDI machine and bought a beep & dig detector. I now go over the places I have been detecting for years. I have dug several gold rings, lots of trash and nickles. Detecting has become fun again, I now dig everything! I may get a pocket full of trash, but I know the real good stuff is coming my way!!!!
I was so impressed with my first beep & dig. That I sold my other TDI. Then bought another beep & dig. None of my detectors now has a TDI screen and I think it will stay that way !

 

[goodmore]

Very true. You need to dig!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

The age-old admonition to "dig everything" in order to find more gold rings, is only half the truth. It's already a "given" that you can't high discriminate, and expect to find gold rings (especially the smaller ones). So that already "goes without saying". The BIGGER factor is WHERE YOU HUNT. Because I gaurantee you, you can give the "dig everything" advise to a newbie, and send him on his way to a blighted junky ghetto-type urban park, and turn him loose. And how many gold rings do you think he's going to have by the end of the day? He'd have HUNDREDS of pieces of cr*p, for any possible gold ring. It simply wouldn't be worth it.

So the bigger factor, is where you hunt. Swimming beaches (lakes or ocean) are the most conducive for jewelry losses. Not junky blighted parks, vacant lots, plowed ag fields, relicky type sites, etc.....

 

[Dan-Pa.]

Indeed location-location-location is the biggest factor involved...

Sure does help to have a unit that likes gold rings and a method to cut down the odds usually by audio variances and older Tesoro units come to mind..In any case meters do little or nothing except for perhaps an area where one particuliar tab is prevalent and then you notch out or leave lie depending on what unit you have...

Indeed the only true discriminator is a shovel as gold rings can fall anywhere on that meter depending on size, Kt. and what metal its mixed with to make it durable as a 24 kt. ring would be darn expensive and not wear very well....

 

[Ray S ECenFL]

TDI is a great tool, but it can cost you if you rely too heavliy on it. Just like any other tool, it is a functional as the operator lets it be.

Just because it is there you do not have to use it all the time.

HH

Everyone to his own comfort level.....

Ray S ECenFL

 

[Furious T]

I did a count, and my gold rings with non-screen detectors versus my VDI detectors is so close to 50/50 (something like 50.5% versus 49.5%) that it's not worth talking about. I guess it really comes down to attitude, how well you know your machine, how suited your machine is to your needs, location and probably 101 other factors.

 

[Mtnmn]

I'm sure in many areas beep and dig machines may be the way to go, but in my area if you tried digging every signal you would be filling a 30 gal. garbage can full of trash for anything of value. To me its just not worth it. If a reading is out of the coin range, but the signal sounds interesting, I"ll dig, but invariably it turns out to be junk... Even so in an hour this evening dug $1.74 in change, a matchbox car and a Boy Scout neckerchief clasp using a TID machine.

 

[slingshot]

Two things I discovered when I got over ID'ing finds: Gold is ANYWHERE people have been and though the places I start anew may be filled with a lot of trash, after a few times of searching them, they're a joy to return to. I admit it was wearisome at first.

 

[targets]

in the surf at a busy beach is where to find the rings and chains .
at a busy beach in Spain you can find enough gold to pay for a holiday.
you need a water resistant machine though and a long scoop

 

[nw1886]

Rings have so many shapes of settings and different compositions. Aluminum is the same way.....by digging the better numbers only, you'll only have better odds finding "band" and "simply shaped" rings, miss "fancy's", and miss ring you don't have a good centering on.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Dave,in the mid 1970s I use to find 25-30 gold rings a season.In the last five years I probably only found about 6 gold rings.I think we all cherry pick for coins way too much and the gold rings are still there waiting to be found.With gold prices my priorities and hunting style have changed.By the way I found two gold rings in the last month a 14k 12grm and a 10k 3grm.Today's melt prices give me motivation for the extra work.HH Ron

 

[DaveNV]

Ron,

That was exactly my message in the original post. Obviously, one needs to go where folks have lost the things one is searching for. In the desert where I live are thousands of square miles where one can search and find "zippo." Location is critical, but the problems is that what looks like an unproductive site today may have been a beehive of activity yesterday. I have found several older coins in vacant lots that I really didn't know why I was even searching. The lots looked like nothing of interest had every been there. My main point, however, was that I had become too reliant on the technology and was not doing the actual work I needed to do. Even now, in really junky areas, I will get to the point (usually after digging my 100th pull tab) where I say, "enough junk," and just start digging coins. My 65-year-old back can only take so much. But, in so doing, I know I'm possibly passing up the really good stuff.

HH,
Dave

 

[Jerry-Wi]

Even now, in really junky areas, I will get to the point (usually after digging my 100th pull tab) where I say, "enough junk," and just start digging coins. My 65-year-old back can only take so much. But, in so doing, I know I'm possibly passing up the really good stuff.

HH,
Dave

That about sums up the way I hunt with the exception of the 100th pull tab part. I may do about half that many but it is a choice that one has to make. As a result my rings tend to be more silver than gold.

Jerry

 

[GunnarMN]

I have been at this for 5 years and dig trash , and have found not one gold ring I atribut this to the fact that when somone loses one they loook for it and people ares so poor in this earea I wonder of the guys sho find rings all the time if they are faking finds its not happening for me maybe its my red hair somhow interfears with the gold signal

 

[Furious T]

DaveNV, I understnad exactly where you are coming from....with the best will in the world, the body eventually calls out "Enough!" Dry hard soil does not help either, so really, it is human nature to eventually take the easy way out by ignoring pulltabs. If you are going to go home with a sore back, it's nice to have something to show for it, even if it is just coins (and sometimes a silver ring). But.....it only takes some soft dirt and a gold ring to fire up the enthusiasm again. HH

 

[JimGilmore]

I'm more likely to find rings early in the hunt..after an hour I'm tired and bending is harder..so I get more selective....but I am still hunting the same field.