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Need a nugget detector on a budget

Posted by Darth Placer on January 1, 2013 at 9:52pm in metal detecting

Hey guys I'm looking for a budget detector that I can use to help me prospect gold in the streams.

Trying to keep it at or bellow $200

Where I go there is a ton of magnetite so something that will discriminate is a big plus. The coil has to be able to be submerged in water too.

So far I am wondering about:

Falcon MD20

Bounty Hunter Pioneer 505 with 4 inch coil

Garret Ace 150 or 250

Fisher F2 with 4 inch coil

Open to any other suggestions or if any of you have used the above to find nuggets.

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Replies

  • Bill April 13, 2013 at 1:48pm

    for 200.$ your not going to get much maybe a used gold bug2 i know the money is a big thing but they dont work as well.

  • Alan April 13, 2013 at 1:44pm

    None of the detectors you listed would be very good for tough mineralized ground or sensitive enough for small gold pieces.

    The Falcon is a small probe device that is sensitive but but you don't get much coverage.

    Try and find an older Tesoro Lobo or Bandido, Garrett Scorpion, or an old Whites Goldmaster.  Sometimes these can be found on Craigslist, Ebay, TheTreasureDepot.com, Treasurenet.com, Findmall.com

    Good luck with your search.

    ArizFlash

    • Darth Placer > Alan April 13, 2013 at 10:45pm

      Yeah the Lobo looked pretty good. Would rather get one new... I don't have much luck with used electronics.

  • Diggin Fool March 13, 2013 at 11:34pm

    The Falcon is perfect for going through your tailings, +1/2", and +1/4" classifications to make sure there isn't any gold in them.

  • Gold Rush Guys March 13, 2013 at 4:32pm

    I'd go with the Fisher F2.

    There was an article (I believe it was the GPAA Gold Prospector Magazine, but it might have been Lost Treasure.) 

    They interviewed the designer of the F2 and he stated that the f2 was a lower frequency version of the Gold Bug Pro and was the #1 Gold prospecting machine in Europe.

     

    (I was VERY skeptical!)

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhBvhGtnC8E

     

    Not bad for a $200 machine!

    • Darth Placer > Gold Rush Guys March 13, 2013 at 10:01pm

      The guys here mostly talked me out of getting one. Thanks for the reply though.

      I have a small Harbor Freight pin pointer that works pretty well. Will see if dad follows through with taking a college class on beach detecting.... If he gets one I may end up getting an MD-20.

      I looked at the specs of many MD's on the market and paid a lot of attention to frequency.

      • Gold Rush Guys > Darth Placer March 13, 2013 at 11:14pm

        2960240574?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024The MD20 is great for finding very tiny gold, but only has a range of a 1/4" to MAYBE 1/2".  (It maybe a little longer if you are in soil.) It's more for pinpointing very small gold, rather than metal detecting.   (But it's Great to check for quartz that has gold attached.

         

         

  • Spur January 7, 2013 at 12:20pm
    Hey now, My Big-5 Fortune Hunter with its 3 tone discrimination works Great for finding Surface Nuggets and at $100 bucks it makes a better coatrack.
    • Darth Placer > Spur January 8, 2013 at 11:21am

      Hey guys, thanks for the input and advice given.  Definitely some interesting replies. Think I will just stick with the cheap detector I have then.

  • Darth Placer January 7, 2013 at 10:51am

    Well after doing a ton of homework I have found the ones I have listed here, really aren't up to the task(except for maybe the Falcon)

    Out of curiosity I'm wondering what people here use? Fisher, Whites, Garret, Minelab, Tesoro? Do you find small pickers with them?

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