XTerra 30 question

[JKessler00]

Hello all. I joined the forum about a year ago, although I have yet to post. I bought my very first metal detector, the XTerra 30, at the time I joined this forum. I read pretty good reviews on it, and it fit into my budget at that time. I didn't get out much, but I did find $.55 in my yard I plan to change that this year! I've got the hang of it, and it seems to work pretty well for me. There are two other coils out there compatible with this model; the 6" 7.5KHz coil and the 10.5" DD 7.5KHz coil. My question is: for basic coin shooting/relic hunting, which is the better upgrade? Will either of them do me well, or is it time to upgrade detectors already? Right now, a $150 coil is much more appealing than a $700+ new detector. There are very few posts out there with this model. Does anyone use this, and what kind of results have you seen? Thanks!

 

[wpaxt]

You are correct, the X-30 doesn't get much press and that's too bad because it is an excellent machine.

As to coil choice, it's difficult to recommend either coil without knowing more about your hunting preferences. The small coil is excellent in trashy areas, good separation but you will lose depth vs. a larger coil. It is also, I believe a concentric coil. The larger coil will give you more ground coverage, and better depth but may not be able to get you the target separation you require in the high trash. It is also a DD, which is a different animal when it comes to things like pinpointing.

Hope this info is of some help.

Bill

 

[mitwes56]

at the top of the forum? There are some good writeups on the xterra 30 there along with the 50 and the 70. I have had the 50 and now the 70 and I think all 3 of the xterra's go about the same in depth. A few more bells and whistles as you step up the ladder but not really needed just for going out and having fun. The 10.5 dd med frequency coil will "maybe" increase your depth an inch or two over the stock spider coil you have now but alot would depend on your area and soil. If your a park hunter , tot lots etc the factory coil would work just fine for you. The 6 inch concentric in med frequency would be a good coil in trashy area's. I use a 5x10 dd in hf myself in trashy areas and i do have the 10.5 dd mf for larger open areas when needed. Minelab had a reason for putting the 8 inch spider coil on all the xterra's and I think its because its the optimum coil for the xterra's under most conditions. All the rest are sort of specialized coils for specific types of hunting. Figure out your needs , type of hunting , style of hunting then decide whats best for you and not whats best for someone else based on there opinion and where they live. enjoy and happy hunting.

 

[Shenandoah Digger]

The 30 is a great machine and gets really good depth, although I don't think it's as deep as the 70. If you want to relic hunt big areas, the 10.5 would cover more ground and add a little depth, but it is much heavier than the stock coil. Someone on here made the suggestion of mounting the coil backwards, and that really helps, although people might think you don't know what you're doing. The small coil is really good in trashy areas, but doesn't get the depth of the stock coil. If you can afford both, that would be a good option. Even though the 30 has a preset GB, it hunts silently in all areas I have hunted at maximum sensitivity. And I hunt some hot ground. I've made a lot of great relic finds with it, but not being a coin hunter unless one is under the coil, I can't offer any advice on that.

 

[Mick in Dubbo]

Hi JKessler
You have a great detector in the 30. I've had one since just after they came out and love it. Although I haven't been out with it much of late, it still remains a favorite with me. it's just that I've been distracted by a few other detectors that I've bought since then.
To be frank, it's constantly underrated! Even on this forum. I've been threatening to buy the 70, but the 30 has been too effective to justify the jump (from a coin hunting prospective). I've borrowed a 70 a few times now, but in short, there not much that the 70 can find that the thirty can't. For the Aussie coins that I hunt, the extra notches don't offer up any extra information. This is mainly due to the spots that our coins fall on. In fact, the only reason that I'll buy the 70, is for the extra tones (personal preference) and the prospecting mode, for the odd gold hunt. Apart from that, the 30 is every bit as good as it's bigger brothers. I love the VCO pinpoint as it offers some great target information. I also love the audio information the it gives. It's very easy to understand and has what I've found to be the easiest learning curve of any detector that I've come across. (If you want any tips, just let me know.)
Out of the 7 detectors that I've owned, the X-Terra 30 is my overall favorite. his is due to it's light weight, great tones, easy to read numbers and general pleasantness of use.
So go and enjoy your unit and post your finds. you'll love it.
Mick Evans.
P.S. On my last trip to Sydney, I was eyeing off the E-Trac, and the guys in the shop would have taken my 30 in a heart beat if I'd offered it as a trade, because they sell so fast; but I wasn't going to part with it.

 

[Mick in Dubbo]

As far as the extra coils go, you really don't need them. The standard coil will cover 95% of all your hunting needs. the target separation is simply brilliant. The small coil does help in this department and does have it's place on a really trashy spot, but i wouldn't recommend the large coil. The depth seems to be about the same as the standard coil, but it's poor balance and extra weight don't justify it's benefits. the only benefit that I've seen it offer, is that you can cover more real estate at depth than the standard coil. I have hunted with the coil put on backwards. This makes a big improvement to the poor balance of putting it on the normal way, but you still feel the weight of the coil. If I was going to hunt with a coil like that, then I may as well swing my Explorer!
Mick Evans.

 

[Monte]

I joined the forum about a year ago .... I bought my very first metal detector, the XTerra 30, at the time I joined this forum ... I didn't get out much, but I did find $.55 in my yard

If that's all you found in a year, and it was all in your yard, then you haven't had the opportunity to learn the X-Terra 30 well, or experience any performance strengths or weaknesses in a variety of ground mineral environments. I think you need to spend more time and hunt a wider assortment of ground types before you invest any more $$.

I plan to change that this year! I've got the hang of it, and it seems to work pretty well for me. ... There are two other coils out there compatible with this model; the 6" 7.5KHz coil and the 10.5" DD 7.5KHz coil. My question is: for basic coin shooting/relic hunting, which is the better upgrade? Will either of them do me well, or is it time to upgrade detectors already?

Does it work well in very mineralized ground? perhaps you don't have any 'bad ground' where you hunt? Maybe Minelab made some revisions and improved the factory-set ground balance point?

I had an early-release X-Terra 30 and, like the other X-Terra's, I liked the weight, balance and physical design ... except for the too-long rod length. The X-Terra 30 worked fine in wood-chip playgrounds and maybe just a very few other sites around me (NW Oregon, USA), but it was not able to be used in most of the grassy and dirt areas due to a too-negative ground balance point. There is no internal adjustment for that. In the same sites the X-Terra 50 would work fine after being ground balanced properly, as did the X-Terra 70, but the X-T 30 spit and sputtered due to falsing brought on by the negative GB. Every X-T 30 I used in my area did/does the same thing.

The stock 9" spider coil is 'OK" for general use and coverage, but if you're coin hunting trashy sites, or "relic hunting" any older sites, such as building tear-downs, ghost towns, or other places that are likely to have nails or other small trash, the smaller coil will provide a different dimention of performance in your favor.

Monte

 

[JKessler00]

I'm overwhelmed at the response I got from you all. Thanks so much! This is a forum of really great people. In my first post, I made it sound like my own yard was the only place I used my detector last year. That's not the case. I actually took it to a beach on Lake Michigan. I wasn't very successful, but the detector did well. My yard is mostly loam with clay underneath. I used it at my parents' house, which is all sand, and I got a lot of readings that jumped around. In some spots, I dug nothing. In both areas, there were a few times when I would get a number, then a different number, then nothing at all. That's the only negative I have found so far.

One other place I detected was an old cavern in southern Ohio. In the early 1900's, there used to be a merry-go-round out in front of it. I thought this was perfect. Contradictory to an earlier statement in this post, I got solid hits everytime in this wet sand. Unfortunately, they were all beer cans that people have buried.

I went ahead and ordered the small 6" coil. It'll be great to have on hand as I get out this spring/summer.

One other question I thought of... I've been tempted many times to stop and detect old abandoned homesteads, buildings..etc. I haven't given in to temptation because I want to follow good treasure hunter code and not make a bad name for us. So, when you're driving down a back road out in the country somewhere, and you see an old house or great area to detect, how in the world do you go about getting permission to detect? In the county I live, the auditor's site in online, so I can lookup a residence and find the owner. In my parents' county, where there are many opportunities, I don't have that luxury. I guess I'm curious of any tips/tricks to locate property owners.

In summary, yes Monte, I could definitely use some more experience. At the same time, I did use it a little more than I may have made it sound. Again, thanks everyone.

 

[Digger]

I can honestly say that I have never detected on any private property that I didn't have permission to hunt. I can't imagine having to swing the detector, listening for tones, and constantly looking over my shoulder. As a property owner myself, I suppose I am just giving others the same respect I would want, if the tables were reversed. The County Plat books are a good resource for identifying landowners. If they are not available in your area, I suggest you simply stop at a "neighboring" farmhouse and ask them who owns that particular parcel you are wanting to detect. Chances are that they will know. In fact, once you find the owner, you might benefit from letting them know you have already visited with the neighbors. If it is an absentee landowner, knowing the neighbors are "looking out" for him may just provide the "trust factor" you need. Most of the old farmsites I hunt warrant a return visit. Getting permission prior to that first hunt will result in your being able to return again. JMHO HH Randy

 

[Digger]

If the X-30 is capable of operating (with the preset GB) well in your soil, I don't think you would benefit (depth wise) by using the larger DD coil. Although the DD coil performs better in highly mineralized soil, the concentrics will hold their own in moderate or lightly mineralized conditions. Your adding the smaller 6-inch concentric was a good choice! Again, JMHO HH Randy

 

[Hoss]

Im so glad to hear great talk about the 30 Ive got one coming and I cant wait to hunt..