New To Nugget Detecting, Help With Choice?

[SteveJJ]

Go easy on me Steve, I just got an F75 and found silver in Cobalt Ontario. I have badgered/convinced my friend to head west into gold country next trip. So now I'm looking at GB2, GM1K, ATX?, GPX5K?, who knows? So much to learn but the gold is calling me! Would love to be you with a slew of machines to pick from, but I gotta start small then find enough to fund the good machine... or so I keep telling myself! 

There's been gold found in southern MN near Zumbrota, and whatever else is here is fly spec size so maybe the GB2 would be sensible to start with, that could be useful locally. The Gold Monster really appeals for just a bit more... The F75 sure beats my Vaquero, with my poor hearing seeing the numbers really makes a difference, so the GM1K has an appeal over the GB2.

Might be coming through Reno in November for a gold detecting class, but that's up in the air yet. Maybe next year I'll have something to post here, it's my intent anyway! Do you ever show your collection? It would be an education for sure.

Does Fools Gold count? Found a huge specimen that does bear some non-ferrous metal (silver, nickel, cobalt maybe) but I kept it for the huge face of iron pyrite. Not gold but it sure glitters! 

[Steve Herschbach]

Welcome to the forum!

Your local area is really not amenable to metal detecting for gold. Personally if I were there a pan and sluice box would be the way I would go.

With that in mind then how much time truly will you be out west looking for gold? If only a week or two you may just want to buy a used detector and sell it when you get back. Investing a lot of money would not seem to make sense. Something like a Gold Monster is simple to learn, which is a plus, and not going to break the bank. Taking Gerry’s class would certainly put you ahead in the game.

My gold stays in a safe deposit box until sold. Showing off gold is a real good way to end up with no gold. The closest any non-purchasers get to my gold is the photos on this forum. I am actually working on a gold gallery for the website but doubt it will go live until later this winter.

[flakmagnet]

Best way to show gold collection:

With photographs taken before it is locked away in a safety deposit box.

Sad but true. 

 

[SteveJJ]

I'm eager to see the gallery of gold! I guess I'm too trusting and naive to have thought of security to that extent. My thoughts just don't run there.

I am seriously considering spending a lot of time out west in a couple years once I retire. I've lived in Phoenix and Santa Fe and just love the southwest and on up the Rockies when the weather is good. I'm shopping for a pop-up camper for next Summer trips and if I like the lifestyle will likely move out of my house and rent it out to fund my passions wherever they may take me. So, spending some money now while I'm earning a paycheck does make a certain sense.

I do have panning gear and have done some in the Black Hills but mostly got skunked. Still, it was a wonderful experience and I know I'll do it again, wherever there's a hint of color to chase. "Mechanized" prospecting isn't always allowed in all areas so I haven't bought/built a sluice, yet. 

Mostly I enjoy being outdoors in nature, and most any excuse to be there. Fortunately my job is largely outdoors so I stay tuned to the seasons and changes, and get paid to do so! Retirement will be a blessing filled with opportunities. Gold detecting will be just a part of that. Mastering UAV videography will be another part. Finding new vistas to enjoy, huge!

Thanks for all you do for others Steve, it's a great service to share what you know so well and in so many ways. Glad to hear you say that Gerry's class will be good for me. He too believes a GM1K would be a great first gold specific detector. It's in the lead of my potentials line-up.

Having detected alongside a friends GPX4500 last week demonstrated how deep it can work, way beyond my F75, with ease. I can't rule out a fine PI machine down the road, just not until I"m sure it will become part of my lifestyle. I have a motorcycle that I can part with to fund it, refining my toys is a common occurrence. Doing so while drawing a paycheck is just easier.

Thanks to this and other fine forums, I have a wealth of information to work through to get myself more up to speed. Again, my thanks for all you do to contribute so much.

[Desert Dawg]

You are wise to start tailoring your hobby gear before retirement, that is what I did, I bought my first pi, a 4000 gpx 2 yrs before I retired, by the time i retired I had sold off the 4000 and bought a new gpx4500, and have since added a couple new tech coils, and also have a GB2 I have owned for yrs. That play money is much harder to come by after retirement.

[IdahoPeg]

I agree, Mxt Sniper, I worked on getting my toys and camping gear etc several years before retiring....wanted everything paid for so money could go towards trips etc. With no big bills, it's amazing how little you really need to live on lol! I'm so glad I retired when I did!

SteveJJ, if you want to start cheap and will be going where there's small gold a used Goldbug2 sounds good, but if can spend a bit more I'd get the Monster. And Gerry's training is great...he got me started in this fun hobby. ( Hey, I have 2 neglected GB2s sulking in my shed since I got the Monster....I'd give you a great deal to help you get started :-)  If you will be hitting the SW and other gold areas once retired, you'll definitely want to look into a PI or even a used 7000....but that's some serious $ for sure. Good luck with your "pre-freedom" plans!

[iMine]

On 9/19/2017 at 7:03 PM, SteveJJ said:

Go easy on me Steve, I just got an F75 and found silver in Cobalt Ontario. I have badgered/convinced my friend to head west into gold country next trip. So now I'm looking at GB2, GM1K, ATX?, GPX5K?, who knows? So much to learn but the gold is calling me! Would love to be you with a slew of machines to pick from, but I gotta start small then find enough to fund the good machine... or so I keep telling myself! 

There's been gold found in southern MN near Zumbrota, and whatever else is here is fly spec size so maybe the GB2 would be sensible to start with, that could be useful locally. The Gold Monster really appeals for just a bit more... The F75 sure beats my Vaquero, with my poor hearing seeing the numbers really makes a difference, so the GM1K has an appeal over the GB2.

Might be coming through Reno in November for a gold detecting class, but that's up in the air yet. Maybe next year I'll have something to post here, it's my intent anyway! Do you ever show your collection? It would be an education for sure.

Does Fools Gold count? Found a huge specimen that does bear some non-ferrous metal (silver, nickel, cobalt maybe) but I kept it for the huge face of iron pyrite. Not gold but it sure glitters! 

Careful bringing a "friend" that you have to "convince" to go with. If the answer isn't "HELL YEA BUDDY!" when you say "want to go get some gold?" then tell them to F*** Off because they'll do jack shit till they see a pile of gold THEN they want to contribute and cash in on easy (hey it's easy if you do nothing but watch) money. 

[Andyy]

Yeah, nugget shooting is not for the faint of heart.  Your friend is NOT going to be on the same page as you and is very likely to ruin your gold trip.  You will end up wanting to check out some gold fields and he/she is just going to get bored and want a nice cozy bed in the nearest hotel.  Heck, you may too after finding how hard it is.  I would only take someone already bitten by the gold bug.  Just my humble opinion.

As for the original question, that's easy for me to answer anyways.  I wish I would have started with either the GB2, Gold Monster, or SDC2300.  Much more likely to find small gold.  And there is more small gold out there than big gold.  Also note, big gold can definitely be found with small coils.  My largest piece was found with my 8x6 Sadie coil.  

Good luck to you.  Hope I wasn't a big downer in my first comment.  Finding a partner is hard even when they *are* on the same page as you.

Andyy

[SteveJJ]

On 9/22/2017 at 9:23 AM, IdahoPeg said:

I agree, Mxt Sniper, I worked on getting my toys and camping gear etc several years before retiring....wanted everything paid for so money could go towards trips etc. With no big bills, it's amazing how little you really need to live on lol! I'm so glad I retired when I did!

SteveJJ, if you want to start cheap and will be going where there's small gold a used Goldbug2 sounds good, but if can spend a bit more I'd get the Monster. And Gerry's training is great...he got me started in this fun hobby. ( Hey, I have 2 neglected GB2s sulking in my shed since I got the Monster....I'd give you a great deal to help you get started :-)  If you will be hitting the SW and other gold areas once retired, you'll definitely want to look into a PI or even a used 7000....but that's some serious $ for sure. Good luck with your "pre-freedom" plans!

Hi Peg,

Thanks, tell me more about your GB2, one is on my short list. I'm leaning towards White's TDI SL at this time as an entry into PI, and have started a bit of savings so I can get one by Spring. Actually if the right deal comes along I'll jump on it, but nice to have patience too. Someone is going to need to sell to fund family gifts this holiday season... 

I'd like a GM1K, but will wait to see how the Equinox 800 stacks up to the competition before making a purchase. 

I'm giving serious thought to Gerry's training, but November? That could mean snow and while I work outdoors in Minnesota, it's not my idea of a fun vacation, snow and cold. I hope he's got another in Spring after the thaw. I like the discount offered to purchasers of detectors, compelling.

[Desert Dawg]

Since I retired I try to fund my nugget detecting hobby entirely by doing a little buy/selling thru the yr on Craigslist to make a little extra cash, its surprising how a little money here and there adds up over time if saved. I bought my 86 CT110 Honda for transportation in the gold fields 3 yrs ago by selling off stuff in the garage that was not being used, camping equipment, automotive, etc. Now i am in the process of selling the ct110 and upgrading to  a Rhino side by side UTV after saving for a yr. I work at upgrading my equipment in the winter months. Always sifting current detecting equipment to see if its being used, if not its sold.