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AT Pro For Gold Detecting???


Dakota

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Looking real serious on the AT PRO for an all around detector that will not break the bank. How is this detector as far as prospecting like some small gold nuggets maybe with some luck. Feedback greatly appreciated   Thanks

Bill

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Had one didn't like it me and it just never clicked all I can really say about it.I feel it is one of the most over rated detectors on the market but there are a lot of people that love it I am just not one of them for the money you can purchase a new X Terra 705 rite now I think that would be a way better machine for you for what you are looking to do I have been using a 705 since 08 or 09 and and have never felt the need to up grade a new in box X TERRA 705 can be had rite now for just under $500 the only advantage the AT PRO has over the X TERRA 705 is it can be submerged under water up to 10 feet the X TERRA 705 can not

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With the choices around at the moment and the due release of the Equinox series I think you would be doing yourself a disservice if you don't wait and see what's just around the corner regards multi purpose detectors , it's not that the AT isn't a good multi purpose machine it's just that Running at 15 kHz it's not going to be overly sensitive when used for prospecting . As Dsmith suggests the the xterra has come down in price and has a dedicated prospecting mode and runs at a slightly higher frequency and is well regarded as a coin machine as well , the ground tracking is also the best in the business. The only advantage the AT has is its ability to work underwater.  

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Others have recommending switching your brand prefernce, and I'm not going to weigh in on that.  But if you're sticking with a Garrett you'll be better off with the AT-Gold for finding nuggets.  It also will find coins, jewelry, and relics.  (KG and Ringy from the US TV show Diggers, who are supplied/sponsored by Garrett, chose the AT-Gold over the AT-Pro for their relic hunting.)  Biggest downside vs. Pro is that it won't work in salt water (but it will perform in fresh water).  Here is a comparison chart, including the new AT-Max, which Steve posted recently:

Also you'd be wise to carefully read through Steve's reviews.  He mostly covers gold detectors there so you won't find the AT-Pro, but the AT-Gold is reviewed and receives good marks:

http://www.detectorprospector.com/gold-prospecting-equipment/metal-detectors-metal-detecting-accessories.htm

Since your budget is limited you should consider buying a used detector, for example on Ebay.

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garrett-at-pro-waterproof-metal-detector.jpg

When the AT Pro came out in 2010 it turned the industry on its ear. A lightweight, inexpensive metal detector waterproof to ten feet, that did not skimp on features including a LCD readout, speaker, and interchangeable coils. Up to then underwater detectors were more akin to the Tesoro Tiger Shark - heavy, feature limited, expensive, and usually with hardwired coils and headphones.

The Garrett AT Pro basically created a new category of detectors - the All Terrain (AT) detector, as much at home in the water as on land. Many manufacturers are still trying to catch up to this seven years later.

tesoro-tiger-shark-waterproof-metal-detector.jpg

The AT Pro as a detector however is a 15 kHz discriminating type VLF with no true prospecting mode. That is not to say you cannot find gold nuggets with it. You can. If your intend on maybe going nugget detecting but might not ever get around to it, it might serve. However, if you really intend and want to put in more than a couple days a year nugget detecting there are better options like the 18 kHz Garrett AT Gold. Just about everyone makes a 18 - 20 kHz do it all prospecting detector as listed at Nugget Detector Guide. People have favorites for various reasons but I can grab most any 18 - 20 khz VLF detector and do about as well personally running any of them so I will defer to others as far as the picking of favorites.

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