Gold Detector Recommendations Please

[N7XW]

I've asked for detector recommendations on this forum in the past and appreciate all the previous input and advice.  This forum is a true benefit to the detecting and prospecting community.

So, here I am again.  I'd like to focus on rivers and creeks.  In addition to panning and sluice boxing, I want to scan the exposed bedrock cracks and crevices for small nuggets.  I think a VLF is the way to go instead of a PI machine for this purpose.  My only criteria is that it must be waterproof - not just "splash" or "rain" proof.  From what I see, the only choices are the AT Gold and the Gold Kruzer.  Are there others?  What would you recommend?

Thank you.

 

[Old Miner Don]

23 minutes ago, N7XW said:

I've asked for detector recommendations on this forum in the past and appreciate all the previous input and advice.  This forum is a true benefit to the detecting and prospecting community.

So, here I am again.  I'd like to focus on rivers and creeks.  In addition to panning and sluice boxing, I want to scan the exposed bedrock cracks and crevices for small nuggets.  I think a VLF is the way to go instead of a PI machine for this purpose.  My only criteria is that it must be waterproof - not just "splash" or "rain" proof.  From what I see, the only choices are the AT Gold and the Gold Kruzer.  Are there others?  What would you recommend?

Thank you.

 

I'm curious if you intend to use the detector for underwater sniping. Fully submerged.

You may want to consider the SDC 2300 because it's submersible to I believe 10'.

Two Toes uses the SDC 2300 for all of his gold metal detecting now. For years he was a big fan of the TDI. He has one of the best gold detecting/gold mining channels on YouTube.

Sorry that I don't have a lot of advice. I'm still learning.

[Jeff McClendon]

Nokta Makro Legend, Equinox 800, Equinox 900, Nokta Makro Gold Kruzer are all fully waterproof and can handle freshwater submerged use for river beds and crevices. They are very sensitive VLFs and have very similar performance in the gold prospecting modes. The Legend and Equinox 900 also have handle vibration for alerting on targets when the entire detector is submerged.

The Garrett AT Gold is a decent larger gold nugget submerged detector. However since it runs at 18 kHz, it is not nearly as sensitive to smaller or hard to hit nuggets as the 40 kHz and higher Legend, Equinox and Gold Kruzer. The Legend and Equinox 800/900 have more usable features in their gold modes than the Gold Kruzer.

[Old Miner Don]

3 minutes ago, Bedrocker said:

I'm curious if you intend to use the detector for underwater sniping. Fully submerged.

You may want to consider the SDC 2300 because it's submersible to I believe 10'.

Two Toes uses the SDC 2300 for all of his gold metal detecting now. For years he was a big fan of the TDI. He has one of the best gold detecting/gold mining channels on YouTube.

Sorry that I don't have a lot of advice. I'm still learning.

I forgot to mention that the reason I recommended Two Toes channel is because he does lots of gold metal detecting on exposed bedrock and in crevices which is exactly what you said that you would like to start doing with the gold medal detector.

He is very successful at it and I don't think anyone explains and teaches better than him.

In addition he has many well done videos on sluicing and gold panning as well as high banking etc.

[phrunt]

The need for the PI depends on mineralization and hot rocks, if they're not an issue I wouldn't bother with the SDC 2300 as the VLF in milder ground will do well for a lot less money and find smaller gold.

Jeff pretty much summed up my thoughts.

[N7XW]

I really hadn't considered the multifrequency machines as I've always thought the single high frequency detectors had an advantage over multifrequency detectors on small gold.  Maybe that isn't correct?  Maybe I should consider the Deus II and Manticore also then?  And for that matter, maybe just use the small coil on the CTX3030 that I now have.  I might have to go test the CTX on some small chunks of lead to simulate small gold.

I don't think a PI is the right choice for me on bedrock or in rivers.  I may find out otherwise once I get out there though, we'll see.

Thanks guys.

 

[Jeff McClendon]

Deus 2 in water, especially fast moving water would need the antenna wire connected. It is waterproof but wireless signal from coil to control unit won’t travel through water. Also, Deus 2’s Goldfield mode is still not very sensitive to small gold compared to the Legend, Equinox 800/900 and Gold Kruzer. XP may fix it in the next software update.

 

Manticore is a possibility. CTX on really small gold would not be my first choice. 

The multi frequency detectors I mentioned are very hot on small gold.

[Wilderland]

I recently picked up an Equinox 900 for the reasons Jeff mentions. Is your screen name your call sign? 

[N7XW]

Screen name is my ham radio callsign.  

I just tested the CTX with both 11" and 6" coils on small pieces of lead.  Results were dismal to say the least.  I also tested the AT Pro with 5x8 and SS coils along with the F19 with stock coil - all of which beat the CTX with either coil.

The Deus II with wired coil doesn't sound appealing to me.  I don't know why, but it seems like a bandaid fix to the underwater signal degradation issue it seems to have.  Just my opinion.

 

 

[GB_Amateur]

1 hour ago, N7XW said:

Maybe I should consider the Deus II and Manticore also then?

The Manticore currently doesn't have a small coil option, just the stock 11".  Minelab has indicated a 5"x8" is coming....  Meanwhile the detectors Jeff has recommended all currently have small coil options.

If you're going to do other detecting besides for native gold, such as for coins, relics, and/or jewelry then the two above *might* be a better choice although the Minelab Equinoxes and Nokta Legend are all-purpose detectors, too, and at lower prices.  As of now, AFAIK, no one has reported better, or even as good of performance for small, natural gold with the Manticore w/11" or Deus 2 with any of its available coils, 9" being the smallest.