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Just Getting Started, Need Help


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Sounds like it would be very helpful for you to find a club nearby where you live and get some hands on help with someone local.  You seem to be looking for a detector with no knowledge of what you are looking for.  That can get expensive when you buy something you don't really need.  Just trying to help you get pointed in the right direction.  GaryC/Oregon Coast

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  • The title was changed to Just Getting Started, Need Help

Metal detector purchasing boils down to:

"What do you want to use it for?"

and 

"What is your budget?"

It sounds like you want a general purpose (coins, jewelry, relics) type detector - the most popular type. Saltwater detecting and gold nugget prospecting are more technical types of detecting that have models more specific to just those tasks, but they also tend to not be so good at general purpose detecting. You can use a general purpose detector for beach and nugget detecting also though the results will vary depending on the model.

The following brands have been around and have proven service capability for those that live in the U.S. In other words, pretty safe bets. I have taken the liberty of listing a mid-range model for each brand for you to consider. XP is kind of a one trick pony so I listed their Deus model as the default but more expensive option. I have linked to manufacturer product pages for you. Ignore the MSRP prices you see as most dealers discount below that. That being the case I have added internet discount pricing for reference.

Bounty Hunter (First Texas) - Land Ranger Pro $287
Fisher (First Texas) - F70 $449
Garrett - AT Pro (waterproof) $552
Minelab - Equinox 600 (waterproof) $649
Nokta/Makro - Makro Kruzer 14 (waterproof) $649
Teknetics (First Texas) - Patriot $399 (same detector as F70 above)
White's - MX7 $549
XP - Deus $799

Given so little information I am just taking a stab in the dark here and suggesting a list of affordable "safe choices". I can do just fine with any of these models for general purpose detecting. At the least it weeds the field down and gives you someplace to start without breaking the bank.

Hooking up with a club is a good way to see what other people use and maybe a chance to handle a few and so Gary's advice above is excellent.

In addition to my reviews mentioned before, check out the Reference Library for lots of great free information.

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