Leaderboard

And all I got was this buckle! Okay there's other finds, mostly rim-fires and the usual common relicky finds. Interesting site, unfortunately a couple of our hunts where shorter than anticipated due to equipment issues or other desert challenges haha Hopefully @Tom_in_CA will share his finds too, he made some epic token finds 🐍

I'll be at Alaska Mining & Diving Supply all day next Wednesday thru Friday as part of the Grand Opening of the new Mining Superstore. I'll also be doing some free seminars with question and answer session each afternoon (details below). I'll probably step out one day for lunch with my sister so if you want to catch me morning or afternoon are best. If you know anyone in Alaska who might be interested, please let them know. I hope I might see a few of you there Here are a bunch of photos of the new store location on a previous thread The AMDS Story Grand Opening Celebration! May 17-19th 10am - 7pm daily FREE Seminars and daily prizes! Prizes May 17th - Garrett Ace Metal Detector May 18th - Garrett Apex Metal Detector May 19th - Garrett AT Max Metal Detector (No purchase necessary, winners will be selected and notified the next business day, limit one entry per person per day) Steve Herschbach, AMDS Co-Founder and World-Renowned Metal Detector Expert will be on hand daily sharing his expertise and wisdom with FREE seminars. May 17th @530pm Metal Detecting for Gold Nuggets May 18th @530pm The New Garrett Axiom May 19th @530pm Gold Dredging Basics Special Guest Kayla Johanson from "Gold Rush: White Water" on Discovery Channel Friday May 19th 11am-3pm

Nothing all that spectacular here just some more of the stuff that often turns up at these early western sites that unlike the gold camps were inhabited by folks that did not have a whole lot of money. Mostly I just wanted to show another piece of millitaria that was found that I am not completely sure about.I'm thinking that it was either a very large two piece general service type coat button missing its back portion or perhaps part of a stamped two piece buckle although there is no signs of it being attached to a frame. I have had to resort to using primairily the deus 1 with the elliptical coil due to the unbelievable density of the weeds and native grasses which are the direct result of the very wet winter.Relic site detecting in my area is going to be real tough until the fall die off. A few eyeballed items Some of the more interesting trash.

Went to an old homesite last night. I just stepped out of the car, snapped some pictures of a forest fire across the Peace River and was getting my detecting gear out of the car. I looked to my left and there was this fresh elk shed lying on an old rock pile in the ditch. Clean as a whistle, all points intact, with no chew marks. Now I need to go looking for it's partner.....

The permits are approved by Federal, State, & County agencies. All plant, wildlife, & water are considered in the plan. The tailings water is contained in a settling pond. This operation is about 1/2 mile from any creek. The water is actually being taken from a flooded mine shaft which formed a pond 1700 ft or so to the NW on the mountain. The State of California granted the water license and the operation was monitored. All disturbance was put back under the plan and was covered by a bond to the Federal government. After two years it was hard to see that any mining activity had taken place. The Federal government holds the bond as security until all reclamation has passed muster. If you don't follow the plan you are pretty much finished as miners. Reputation means quite a bit. Ours is very good. That is why our permit applications continue to be approved.

You can go crazy researching e bikes. Almost bought a fat tire but decided against it..weight of those bikes was the main reason. I said screw it and bought a Trek Rail 9.9 all carbon fiber and weighs 49 pounds..I can lift it over a fence or gate easily. Don't need any racks just a back pack and the Deus 2 with my gear in works really well. Some of the trails around where I live do not allow anything with a throttle on them and really the pedal assist takes off like a rocket. I've used it for getting to some relic spots but it's just fun to ride anywhere...My son threatens to steal it from me lol. Make sure you have all the tools if you get a flat esp out in the desert where thorns are everywhere. strick

Yep. Except for cost (because as a fairly recent release, you will unlikely find many on the used market like with a GPX). But, if a PI is needed, the Axiom would easily be my choice for trips involving air travel over the GPX 5000 or earlier for all the reasons mentioned above. Fantastic for deep relic, treasure, coin, jewelry, wet beach or prospecting in difficult soil or salt. It can be collapsed and disassebled down into it's included soft case/backpack which meets carry-on dimensions, with two coils in the case and can easily accommodate additional personal items you want to carry on board. The internal Li-Ion battery (no clunky cords or 3rd party compact batteries needed) is well below air travel capacity limits, yet will run the machine at 10 to 12 hours a clip and there is a removeable external AA backup battery compartment attachment included. My GPX 4800 has been sold and is now a distant memory after a very successful relic outing with the Axiom in April (see pics). Axiom made quite a splash at the last DIV and won over several ex-ML PI converts. The GPX 6000 would be another consideration, but it lacks iron check, has less manual control and is more expensive than Axiom. @abenson is a resident expert regarding successful relic detecting with the GPX 6000. Remove the coil and you can stow it in the case with room to spare. My Deus 2 (which would also be my vlf air travel detector of choice) lying beside for scale, below). Some of my Axiom finds shown below from the last DIV that was at a site that straddled a small engagement known as the Battle of Freeman's Ford that included many artillery fragments, large lead sabot, a Hotchkiss shell fuze, lead case shot, some miscellaneous brass including a brass thimble, an iron buckle, and a 1923 SLQ that must have been dropped in 1923 (exactly 100 years ago) based on its condition. (Yep, Chuck we're crazy but bet you'll get a kick out of this find). I'll tell the whole story of this hunt in a separate post. It was really fun and with Axiom, felt I was swinging a cordless vlf.

I don't prospect but do get to remote areas with mine. Got a Soul made out of AZ. Top not quality and though most the e bikes use same components it comes down to support. If you call the factory you get someone in the USA that actually works at the factory!!!!! Many companies have a shell outfit and everything is off-shored. Hauling stuff I heard mid drives are better and act more like regular bikes. Hub drive is what I have with 1000w peak. Going through woods most the time I'm on lowest power setting. Consider front suspension so you can put saddle bag rack on the back. Bikes with full suspension will limit your options for bags, racks and even trailers. Long rides consider a backup battery. Fat tire ebikes are not fun to ride with a dead battery, one hell of a work out without that assist. Most bikes ship at class 2, if you have access code to the control box you can fiddle with settings and make it a class3. I set my speed limit back to 35mph as my legs can't peddle much faster.

I converted my old mtb to an ebike and now use it almost every time I head out detecting. I used a Bafang mid mount conversion kit and 3D printed/lasercut my own battery housing. I live in a town in the middle of the goldfields, so I now only need a car when I head further afield. Even then, I pack the ebike in the tray and use it to get around once I’ve parked the car. It’s awesome!

June 6 2002 The crew was up before dawn and we had coffee together. Everyone was in a hurry to fire up the trommel and see what kind of yardage the plant could handle. At sunrise the temperature was nearly 60 degrees and we expected a sweltering day. Jacob said this may be the beginning of the big heat he had talked about. He said it could last until well into September. I know one thing, I am happy to not be digging with a pick and shovel now. Those old crews must have been as tough as they come. We had all taken night watch shifts and everything was quiet. Vern fired up the big pump and the pristine morning air and silence was suddenly broken with the smell of diesel fuel and throbbing gas and diesel engines. Jim ran the excavator while Jacob tended to the trommel and I got in the skid steer. Jim dug up piles of virgin gravel while I loaded the trommel with pay gravel from the bucket of the steer and pushed tailings. Within one hour we had processed roughly 20 cubic yards of gravel and we were hardly running the trommel at half speed. We had it up on a pad with a ramp for the steer to come up to its hopper and feed it. It was a beast. After a few minor adjustments to the water flow we cranked it up to about 80% and let it work. By 2:00 PM we had run 150 yards through it and shut it down. We wanted to see how the recovery was so we cleaned out the mats and all four of us participated in the cleanup. Jacob had the biggest grin on his face I had ever seen. In the holding pan there were 17 ounces of gold. We broke out the whisky and beer and had a toast to the old crew. If only they could have been here. TO BE CONTINUED ...............

June 7 2002 When Vern fired up the pump this morning he had trouble with it holding prime and we ended up messing with it for about an hour. Not the best way to start the day. Jacob was giving us a good going over about getting the day started. He had little patience with equipment it seemed. When we finally got to digging the sun was up over the trees and the heat was coming on strong. We decided to run the trommel for a full day before we pulled the mats. Then Jacob would be doing full time gold cleanups the following day. We have him set up in a nice, shady location near camp for when he starts tomorrow. I will keep an eye on the trommel while I feed it with the steer and when Jim has enough pay dug with the excavator to last the day he will help me with tailings using the blade on the excavator. Vern will be up and down the mountain as pump tender and general mine hand as well as security. We shut down today at dusk after having only a few minor issues with the trommel. We got it overloaded on one occasion due to my overfeeding it. The beast as we call it processed 250 yards of pay gravel. I’ve got some tailings to deal with before we start mining tomorrow morning. I made the mistake of calling our operation work and was instantly corrected by Jacob. He said it’s not work, it’s mining. Point taken. The temperature hit 93 at the digsite. We are all on a learning curve out here and we are loving it. I may never go back to civilized society again. TO BE CONTINUED ..............

People think I'm harsh on White's. I find that funny. I'm just into reality, things as they are. White's was a company and some detectors, not my dog or my best friend. Still, I have had a long history and a lot of great memories myself that revolve around White's, and owned and sold a lot more of their detectors than most anyone here. Here are a few memories:

No worries blackjack. I didn't see any malice in the question either but sometimes words on the internet get mistaken as far as the meanings. Many thanks to you & Tahoe for your interest and for reading the journal.

Thanks Ghostminer My question was based on curiosity not malice, please read my answer to Tahoegold. after reading all 194 pages from you I think I have gotten some insight into how you would operate.

Beach hunt # 33 & 34 was my return to the beaches. Days are busier now that the weather is nicer, so I was glad to find some time to get back to the beaches. These are 2 different days hunting 2 different beaches. The first one was a small beach and I used both the Manticore and the GPX. The other beach hunt was with just the GPX. Not a lot on the first beach, but I did manage 2 silvers. The second hunt was an all-day affair and netted me more silver than I thought I would get. The beaches are starting to get more and more people on them. I only have a hunt or two left before the season opener. Always nice to get out detecting.🙂

Found this today in a short afternoon hunt. There is a crown in the top half and it says London in the bottom half. With a magnifying glass I can see small letters along the top near the rim that say “DOUBLE GILT“. The back is blank. That makes me think it’s the front of a button. But I have no idea from what or how old. I also don’t know what the pock mark in the middle on the front means. Any ideas? Thank you very much!

Hi Chuck, I also have the Lectric 3.0 regular model not the step through. I wanted the extra ground clearance for the pedals and bottom bracket. The Lectrics are well made and I have had no issues. I keep mine in pedal assist 1 or 2 most of the time on easier trails and dirt roads and just use the throttle when I need to. I have the stock battery and I get between 14 and 18 miles of total battery life depending on hills and wind. If you decide to get a folding or non-folding, make sure is has a walk along setting so that if you have some really rough terrain, washouts or just don't feel safe, you can walk next to it without having to push it. To me, the Lectric 3.0 walk along speed is a bit too fast on flat ground for my 67 year old legs. Also, some Slime, Tuff Tire liners or some other kevlar tire liner is a good idea for mild off roading.

I would think the DIV CW crazies (oops, bad choice of words) who go to Culpeper and are rabid (there I go again) about finding as much good stuff as possible in a short amount of time would be knowledgeable on relic PI detecting. Even if they haven't used every model they see others swinging all varieties of PI's. I suspect some here can already tell you what the Garrett Axiom is capable of in that trying environment. @Chase Goldman and @abenson are two here I bet can give you some indication. You didn't mention cost limitations but did say weight is a concern. Keep in mind that some gold detectorists are willing to swing a 7+ lb GPZ7000 so 'lightweight' to them has a different meaning than for most of us.

Hey Tahoegold, now that you point it out I can see that it would be easy to think that I was questioning the process. I can assure you and others that was not my intention, I understand that Ghostminer is operating a legitimate business, further more I know how strict the rules would be in California, this was the basis of my question, I was curious as to what was required to operate legally. In asking the question I though I was giving Ghostminer the chance to share with others some of the details of his operation. For those who took it another way, that is understandable. I commend you for jumping to his defence.

Sadly, Jason, I don't remember how I found that. Might have been simply visually, or running the jig, or using the saruca, or possibly while surveying anthills, of which I did about 600. I know, within a few miles, where I found it, however. But, I've never seen another one until your post. I use both a "Way TOO Cool" brand 18 watt UV light that has both long wave and short wave. Each light is 18 watts, but it draws considerable power.....about 4 amps with both bulbs on. The other I have is a mini-flashlight that is longwave only. It has an LED bulb. Unfortunately, they've yet to figure out an LED light that produces true shortwave UV light. The good thing for us is most gems that fluoresce do so in long wave, or stronger in LW, including rubies. Unfortunately for me, I'm in the 30% of the population that gets sick from using a UV light. I wear goggles that help, but even then I can only go about an hour, or a little more before getting nauseous. After your post, you can bet I'm going to be looking at the jig tailings under a UV light before throwing them out. Jim

I managed to get in a short coin and relic hunt today with the Equinox 900. I was at a high altitude 1880s site in the Colorado Central Rockies. I really wasn't expecting much but I will definitely be returning to this site again. It was a site with a clearly marked stone foundation. The ground was loaded with both iron trash and extreme iron mineralization. The harmonica reeds and the 45-90 Winchester Repeating Arms WCF shell casing were near the surface and were easy pickings. The other targets were deep enough to have extremely jumpy target IDs. This was not the Equinox 900's fault. I blame it on extreme mineralization and tons of iron trash. The 1876 seated silver dime was barely giving a non-ferrous response 5" deep but it gave enough for me to go after it. The 1886 V nickel did not give a nickel ID until I had removed about 4 inches of dirt. I dug plenty of other 1880s trash. If you see something you recognize in this photo besides the things I mentioned, don't hesitate to chime in. I am not much of a relic person. I was using the Equinox 900 with 6" coil in Park 2 Multi, with -9 to 99 accepted, DP tones, sensitivity 20, iron bias 0, recovery speed 5.

Some nice finds, promising for sure. That eagle item may be a rosette with the lead back missing. Looks like a good place..

Two more! I found the small ring yesterday and the giant one this morning! That makes 7 days in a row!

I don't know. There are other hunters that have experienced numbers of all kinds with gold and the Deus2. I have not acid tested it but it looks real to me. Probably the added silver to make white gold? What is 10k white gold mixed with? White gold is generally alloyed with silver and/or palladium. A common composition for 10 karat white gold is 41.7 percent gold, 47.4 percent silver, 10 percent palladium, and 0.9 percent zinc.Dec 6, 2022

I was just wondering if any of you out there with one nugget hunting. I myself have been thinking about going that route and if I do I’m going with one that’s folding. I’m planning getting the 20” with 4” fat tires. I’m open for any suggestions being this will be my first but I’ve had everything else in the past from other two wheel and 4 wheel. The great thing about 4 wheel you don’t have to remember to put your feet down when you stop . That could be my downfall. Chuck

Like Steve said in a post above yours: "I am just into reality, things as they are." For me, the reality is that I owned a DFX, V3i, MXT, MX5, MX7 (with stock 950, 12", Shooter and Detech 7" and Ultimate coils) and tried to use them all effectively in the moderate to high mineralization in my area. These hunting conditions are the reality here in parts of Colorado. Those detectors could barely detect a US clad quarter at 6" here. US dimes and nickel and any other low to mid conductor coin sized targets had solid IDs if they were within 3" of the surface. That's about it. Did I like those detectors for their build quality, being made in the USA and at the time good features? Absolutely. Were they really appropriate for deeper target hunting out here? Absolutely not. I still own a Garrett Whites 24K. Great detector. I also own the other detectors in my profile signature. All of those VLFs are recently released simultaneous multi frequency detectors. All will easily hit and ID a US quarter, US dime, US nickel, three ringer, etc at 10" in the bad dirt here and will hit and ID the same targets at 12 to 14" in milder dirt on the Colorado Eastern Plains and at fresh and saltwater beaches that I have been to. I have yet to find the bell or whistle features that have been repeatedly mentioned by people that don't own these detectors. That is reality for me. It is also why I have had to move on from most White's detectors.

I get ya Steve. Recent forum read, The "VLF" Machines ability's "hasn't changed since the 90's or before" Depth at about the limit for VLF" What's new is the ability to ID finds with bells and whistles. Steve did you ever get the chance to try the MXS with the "Six Shooter". I read a lot about the new machines which talk about being able to find targets masked by iron/trash. I have also read on some of the threads where after 5-6 inches a majority of VLF detectors can't accurately ID coins. I can only speak for my experience with White's. I never could afford owning different brands. My main focus is on Civil war relics (West Virginia) and coin shooting for very old coins. I have learned much from Your forum and will contribute what I can.. Thanks Steve

Thanks. We have a lot of trash, that's for sure. We get great wave action that is constantly breaking down our beaches. Some of the areas have an inch or two of nice sand and then clay. Most of those coins were a bit further down and were averaged at 10" deep. If you get a chance to try a pulse machine (assuming you haven't already), it may open up some new spots. I think it was about 3.5 hours with the Manticore (includes both sand and turf) The GPX was 3-4 hours as well. I do look over the Jeffersons, mostly to see if they are 40's vintage. Since you never know when these coins are dropped, having a bunch from the 40's tells me I'm in the time frame for silver. The ones that tell me nothing are the 1964 Jeffersons. You could find 10 of them and still not be in the silver area. They made so many of them that you still find them in change today. The amount of finds is directly related to how dumb I want to be that day 😄

Rutus produces detectors that have excellent detection properties, and can unmask and detect new targets even in heavily pre-detected areas...-as an Atrex tester, I have experienced this many times.. ...and this detector found me other good targets.. ..This detector can also provide correct VDI targets and a plot of the signal on the hodograph graph, which is very helpful in correctly identifying the target ... and Dual mode/mix mode/ works very well when eminating unsolicited targets such as various large iron or aluminum foil because you have a very good idea of the size of the target and the strength of the signal....and the detector will not be fooled by larger ferous targets...like a detector with only one dynamic channel... The advantage of the Rutus is that the detector screen can provide enough information to detect and identify the target... and not just a simple VDI number of the target as in the case of other detectors... and I use THAT very often in my practical detection... and I often prefer this one detector before others...

Here's another foldable step through option for you to consider, Chuck. Comparable to the excellent Rad GotAU posted above but a little lower cost and it includes front fork and seat post suspension which can help with off-road terrain. https://lectricebikes.com/products/xp-step-thru-black-long-range You can save an additional ~$200 if you go with the standard vice long range battery that decreases range by about 35% (45 vice 65 miles max). 1000 Watt peak, high torque motor. Weight similar to the Rad. Despite being foldable, both are heavy at almost 65 lbs, which is the nature of ebikes primarily due to the battery and motor. The Rad folding mechanism is less clunky than the Lectric Bike. Lektrik goes for value and maximum features/performance for cost. Rad focuses on design and manufacturing quality and post sales support.

Well, more power and kudos to you guys. I have to admit that at 65 the passion for detecting has been fading for me after over 50 years at the game. Good finds, whether they are silver coins or gold nuggets, are just getting sparser all the time. Even gold jewelry, which I thought would renew forever, is fading, as young people wear tungsten, titanium, or even plastic rings! That platinum ring find is now far more likely to be tungsten. I guess the real problem is I was spoiled by too many years of great detecting, and now hitting a place for two days for a single silver dime or a few smaller gold nuggets is not floating my boat as much. Gardening is looking better all the time.

Am I the only one who did a double-take when first seeing that image? Lawyers are already toasting their upcoming cases.

The Rutus VERSA .....looks really good in terms of technical parameters... ,,I'd say excellent.....So we'll see what this detector can do in Terrain...on Monday I'll have the opportunity to test this detector..and compare it...for example with my really good..detectors that I have...👍 But now I think it's the detector... that many detectorists have been waiting for... - waterproof multi-frequency detector with static and pseudo-static mode / All metal / with tone identification + possibility of Mix mode... which predicts excellent depth parameters... even in really difficult terrains... with fast separation in iron, and in addition to VDI, the graphic display of the target signal/hodograph/ gives an idea of the great potential of this detector in practical detection... The low weight and compact dimensions of the detector also meet the standards... Upgrading the software of the detector with the help of Wifi gives the possibility to upgrade the software of the Rutus VERSA detector directly in the field and with the help of a mobile phone or laptop... As a tester of its predecessor /Rutus Atrex/ and testing of various software.. I know something about it .. and it is an outstanding feature.. which can keep and keep the detector current even in the future....!!! ....Furthermore, I think that Rutus VERSA is a detector that will really compete for a place in popularity on the worldwide detector market.....

What does a Veteran Detectorist think of all the gold detectors? I’ve been hooked and chasing gold nuggets for 25 years with a metal detector. I really don’t care who makes it or where it’s from, as long as the detector can find me more gold. I’ve used most all of the popular gold detectors manufactured and or sold in the US in that same 25 yrs. I’ve watched metal detector manufactures grow, seen them make a few duds, helped a couple introduce some fine detectors to the industry and I hate to admit it, but have watched a couple big name manufactures close their doors. I think it might be fun to share my spin on the brand that seems to just keep getting bigger and stronger – Minelab. Yes there’s a few guys out there who have been using detectors longer than I and maybe they don’t agree with me. No worries, I’m not trying to outdo anyone or prove a point. I just want to share what I have experienced and if someone feels different and wants to take the time to do a write up, that’s even better. It adds to the discussion and conversation of what we here on DP love, detecting for gold. Chuck had asked if Minelab had made a gold detector that was essentially not much of an improvement. Jason gave his input and history of Minelab detector and how he ranked them. I got to thinking, as a Minelab dealer for 20+ yrs and one who was even using their technologies and products in the field with success, before I became a dealer, I feel some more light could be shed and even going back before Jason was on board. Minelab SD-2100. In 1996 I was blown away with the introduction of the SD-2100 and it's power (depth) over a VLF. Yes, it was a heavy detector but I was young and enjoyed digging deep holes. Definitely deserved a 5 star rating as this was the deepest detector I had ever got my hands on. Minelab SD-2200d. The year 1998 a new version, the SD-2200d come along and the depth was on par with the 2100, but the 2200 had some discrimination, which worked ok. This detector did not knock me off my feet, but I did use the DISC in some areas of Oregon to get good gold in trash. I'd rate it a 3 Star. Minelab GP-Extreme. 2000 was a good year and the introduction of the GP-Extreme with DVT (Dual Voltage Technology) allowed for greater improvements on smaller and finer gold than the SD's. Minelabs claim of nuggets 55% deeper than an SD-2200d (wonder why they did not say SD-2100?). I was pretty happy with their claim and my success…when I found an Extreme that ran properly as some of the early ones were noisy. I would give it a 4 star. Minelab GP-3000. The issues of the GP-Extreme were cleaned up and an improved GP-3000 came out in 2003. Again, no big jump in depth, but cleaning up the internal noises allowed for cleaner smoother operation, clearer signal response and a few more nuggets. In my opinion the GP-3000 earned a 3 star. Minelab GP-3500. Only 2 years later in 2005 and the GP-3500 was in my hands. Again, no big depth difference in any types of gold, but the Ground Tracking Button was added to the top of the hand grip. This change was nothing I wrote home about, but it was an improvement. I'd rate it a 3 star at the time. Realize from the SD2100 (I never owned an SD-2000), up through and including the GP-3500, the coils, shafts and power supply were the same, so in reality it's hard to get a big increase in depths. The GP series with the DVT was better at smaller/rougher gold but depth on big gold was all pretty close and I felt in some cases the SD's could get a little better depth on solid nuggets. Today, finding a good clean SD-2100, SD-2200, GP-3000 or GP-3500 and it runs properly, at a decent price, would be a wise move for someone on a budget wanting to step up to a PI. That’s why I am willing to take some of the older units in trade, but the price has to be right. Minelab GPX-4000. 2006 was the GPX-4000, yes a new series "GPX" and there was improved capabilities again on smaller gold, specimens and crystalline gold. New lighter battery, digital readout tuning and more timings. No claim of extra depth from Minelab but I felt the adding timings, and digital adjustments were in fact getting me a few more pieces of gold. I give the GPX-4000 a solid 4 rating of 5. Minelab GPX-4500. In 2008 we were offered the very popular (even to this day), GPX-4500. I personally did not see a big difference in depths and or did Minelab make any claims of such. But it did have SETA (if I recall, a smoothing filter?) and added Timings, improved battery with built in Amp and a better waist belt, for what that’s worth. Even though this machine was not a wow factor for me, it did prove the test of time and to this day is a fantastic PI detector. In fact it was fazed out in the US and then later brought back at a better price point. At the 2nd better price point, certainly a 4 star, maybe 5, but at 1st when came out in 08, I rate it a 3 out of 5. Minelab GPX-5000. Fall of 2010 we get the new improved GPX-5000 with 2 added Timings and some other fine tune adjustments. No big depth differences for most folks, but the 2 timings did have their merit and some folks to this day prefer a 5000 over a 4500. If I was looking at price differences today, I think the 4500 is a better deal at $2600 vs the $4000 price point we see for a GPX-5000 today. Realize the 5000 was priced $5800 and stayed there for a few years with great sales. I don’t recall Minelab stating any depth gains of the 5000 over the others, but I could be wrong? I did find more gold though as the Fine Gold Timing was good for certain kinds of gold. I would rate the GPX-5000 a 3 star. Minelab GPX-4800. Came out about the same time as the GPX-5000 while they tried to faze out the GPX-4500. The 4800 in all fairness a relabeled 4500 in my opinion and it did not sell well, or last long. Still a good reliable detector though and event today finding a used one at the right price is a good move from a VLF. This was in my opinion, Minelabs 1st flop of a gold detector introduction. I rate it at a 1, but performance at a 3. All 4 models of GPX detectors use the same power cords, battery (although the 4500,4800 and 5000 battery have built in amp), same headphones and shafts. Heck even the coils, shafts, headphones are all interchangeable with the SD and GP series as well, nice bonus for us all these years. An interesting spin on the GPX gold detectors, is they are now the most desired detector of the serious Relic Hunters back East. Those East Coast dealers are finally getting to make some money selling a multi thousand dollar unit that performs above all others at depth. SDC-2300. Introduced in 2014, I felt this was a good breakthrough for Minelab and the gold nugget hunting community. Easily the coolest looking most compact gold detector Minelab has made to date, but heavy and awkward. Well we learned to deal with it, as it’s simplicity and performance for the majority of gold (small gold) was a big win. The 100% waterproof had a liking as well and I enjoyed a few nice water hunts with it on some black iron sand beaches with gold & diamond success. No it’s not a deep PI on big gold and Minelab never claimed it was, but boy did and still do, many people have fun and gold finds. I rate the simplicity/performance of the SDC-2300 a solid 5 star. GPZ-7000. Early 2015, a Field Staff Expert and I took a prototype GPZ-7000 to Nevada to test the 40% more depth claims Minelab was touting. Another easy to see benefit of the GPZ was the simplicity when compared to a GPX and we liked it as we also realized most customers felt the GPX detectors were not easy to understand with the 250K variables of timings/sub timings/options/settings. The easier to set up and run 7000 was going to be easier to train and in fact we were worried it might be too easy and nobody would take the training. That eventually went away, as we realized most people still did not have an understanding of proper coil control, a good beep form a bad one and difference from ground noise and a real target. Did we find the 40% depth increase claim to be true? Well no measuring sticks were used, but I know for a fact the 7000 sees a variety of gold deeper than any other previous bigger PI detector I or any of my Field Staff have ever used. Our biggest complaint about the detector was the actual weight. In fact my 1st prototype did not even have the swing arm, which is almost a must for most folks. I rate the GPZ-7000 a solid 5 of 5 stars. I will say this though. Early on, I would have rated it a 4 as I had not spent enough time testing the settings and getting it dialed in like the settings I currently use. Today, I feel the performance of the GPZ-7000 is easily a 5 star. GPX-6000. Introducing in late Spring or early Summer 2021 the most impressive of all GPX-6000. The claims of XXX depth over a variety of gold is impressive to say the least. The ergonomics and feel from my Staff that played with it seems to be a 5 star. The User Friendly cleaned up turn on and go (somewhat like a GM-1000) operation rates a 5 star. Now we just need to get it in our hands and in the field for some actual real prospecting. Then we can rate the stars on Performance vs what Minelab claims. Again, I know some folks will have differing opinions than what I have mentioned. I also know their soils and detecting ground or overall detector knowledge will be different. I realize a few people have higher expectations than some of us and or not as fast to sell their old to try the new, technologies. But when I look back at my 25 yrs of using Minelab detectors, I find very little faults in their claims of depth increases. I’ve also found each new gold detector actually was an improvement over the other (minus the 4800) in some way or another. Do I justify each of us running out and purchasing the next new model? Heck no, I don’t know your income level or how high on the fun scale you rate detecting and digging up gold. But for me, I have found enough gold to pay for all my different Minelabs and I consider detecting to be my #1 passion. In my eyes, Minelab has been the most consistent metal sensing detector manufacture in the last 25 yrs and will probably continue to do so. Each new unit they have come out with has produced more gold for my staff and I. We all expect this new GPX-6000 to do just what we want. That’s to find more gold, with a better ergonomically designed and user friendly detector. Will we find a particular nugget that one of our other detectors may hit at stronger, or a little deeper, or in a certain EMI or soil condition? Could happen, but I don’t worry about the rare anomaly occasion, I look at the overall variety of gold I pursue and chase. I’ll go out on a limb and rate the GPX-6000 a ---- shooting star. Would love to hear your responses. The video is some of my guys and I putting a spin on one of Minelabs 5 Star rated gold detectors.

Using the throttle only will chew through the battery at a rapid pace. Especially going up hills. Depends how far you have to travel though. The bonus is you don't need the motor going back down. Just have to take it easy on your braking fingers. D4G

Can't miss that red glow... Granted this one is tiny and not really gem color. Was storing some samples and checking them out in the microscope first, and decided to run the UVBeast flashlight over them. This one came from a place with no known ruby occurences, didn't expect to see this turn up. It could also be spinel, but no known occurences of that where this came from either. Might be worth running a UV light over panning/sluicing concentrates for people that have them. Never know what you might find...

Hi Black jack, So, GM has had this operation permitted. This permitting process covers all aspects of a mining operation and expressly describes every aspect according to California and Federal Law. Each time a permit is applied for, government entities approve each action the mining operation will take. The question you ask seems to allude to something nefarious occuring outside of the law. Think about that, here you have men trying to do the right thing by permitting this claim through government channels. It appears that these men have every intention of adhering to all applicable laws. They want to work their claim and live the American dream of hard work = rewards. Are insinuating these hard working American Miners are breaking the law? Do you have actual knowledge or eye witness account of any statement you have made? The kind of questions you asked seem pretty unfair given the facts of the operation. I'm not trying to be mean. If you didn't understand the process I hope now you can now see these are hard working law abiding Americans trying to make a business work and to provide for their families.

And a fine buckle it is Cal Cobra!

Great hunts. I amazed all the stuff that's on your beaches. Not much stuff on my northern Michigan beaches.

You will need a heavy duty bike rack for your e-bike. I use a modified Harbor Freight motorcycle rack. And one other suggestion- consider a step through frame. Especially if you have a short inseam. If you are carrying a detector on your side you will have to step over both to get on or off. But I ended up with a high step and like it a lot- I have 1700 miles on it commuting to work every day since September and for occasional weekend fun rides.

Quite a few of us e-bikers out here- RadRover 6 Plus for mine. It’s a fat tire off-road bike. A buddy also has one that he prospects a lot with. It works fully with throttle and/or pedal assist. They have a pretty good sale going on right now. https://www.radpowerbikes.com If you do get one of these- PM me. I have a good source for refurbished batteries for them at 1/2 off if you ever need a spare.

Perhaps the Garrett Axiom is an alternate worth considering, good range of OEM coils, discrim. DD, light, ergonomic, cordless, powerful with easy to get at settings. I cannot say how it would go as a relic detector, I only chase gold with it downunder here.

Leave a tub of water open by your truck in the desert, or try a reciculating sluice, and you will learn how many bees there are quickly

Minelab looks at updates as bug fixes, and the more updates there are, the more that means a machine was not finished when released. There is nothing to be happy about or proud about in having lots of updates. If machines are properly vetted in beta testing and development updates should be minimal at best.

Yesterday I went for a nugget hunt and before I could get to my spot I saw this snake in the road. It wasn't moving in the early morning chill so I got closer to see if it had been hit by a car. No, it was just sunning itself but I didn't want to leave it there so I got a stick. It needed to be moved and I would pick it up if I had to. This is a harmless gopher snake I think. It had no rattles and is not poisonous from my experience. It moved on its own. I didn't know if it could make it up the side of the road but as you can see no problem! All that was left were the tracks.

mine just arrived.........in the past i have used many CF outfits, BUT this package is the absolute BEST i have ever had any dealing with............truly outstanding workmanship in EVER respect........Thank You Steve

That’s just a personal call. If you’ve been detecting since the 70s then like me you are near the end of your journey, and the detectors you have may be all you ever need. There is no genuine reason to ditch them, as they are unlikely to fail. My DFX is not going anywhere. Or maybe like me you just want to try something new. But it does mean going from being expert with a detector to learning a new tool, and your knowledge and expertise with the old tools does actually matter. I’d not get a new model and expect the finds you are making to change a lot. You’ll just be making them with a different detector. So what is it? Stay with the tried and true, the one you are comfortable with? Or try a new toy? Your call, there is no right or wrong answer. Best of luck to you either way, and welcome to the forum!

I’ve owned a lot of detectors over the years, Whites Vsat, Garret Infinium, Gold Bug II, Nokta etc etc and have used a lot of the others. But in Australia I can make a good living with ML machines and every machine that has come out has easily paid for itself as well as paid me to use it. The ML machines I did not like over the years was the GPX 4000 because it lacked SETA, its only saving grace was the Sensitive Smoothing timings in noisy ground, the GP extreme and GP 3000 because of their too fast ground tracking (in homogeneous soils they could track out a deep target before you even heard it) and the XT 18000 which did not do a very good job of the 60Khz and 20 was not much better, the XT 17000 was a far far better VLF and I used that professionally for a number of years. For me I feel I’ve been waiting my whole career for ZVT. In its current guise, even with the weight, I feel the GPZ could happily see me through to retirement. Now that there are more coil choices, and yes I include the X coils in this because if I was full time detecting I would definitely be using them as a tool to increase my chances because the risk is of little consequence when looking at the bigger picture from my personal perspective (this includes the price of the detectors as I have 2 or more GPZ’s for redundancy and backup anyway). The 6000 would definitely be part of my arsenal of equipment just based on the material that has been officially released, but then double down on that because of what I know.💲🥰😇 With a high gold price and plenty of opportunities to target areas I’ve collated over the years it will be a very good bread a new butter machine as I get older or for frequenting the more mountainous Terrain. For me Minelab and there continuation of investing money into R&D is a little like having a really good retirement fund, it gives me a feeling of security in the future because I know I will never be broke. I cast my mind back on what it was like 10 years ago and look at what I can easily do today, to get bored with the ease of pinging a piece of gold in flogged ground speaks volumes for how far technology has come. JP

I seem to recall an ex member on here, JW, got into an E bike for access to prospecting locations & did a few posts on it. Maybe do a search. He & his mate Phrunt did a few missions on them. Phrunt I think was using JW's wives bike from memory & he may be able to make a comment. I think you will still need a good amount of fitness as an e bike you still have to pedal, the motor just assists & makes it a bit easier. Depends on the steepness of the terrain you will be tackling. If in fairly flattish dessert shouldn't be a problem, but then why would you not just use a quad or motor bike? D4G

I have the same issue (it is actually a good issue to have!!!) as Gerry and have found more gold nuggets, some up to 1/4 ouncers at 6 to 10" in really bad mineralization and sub .1 grammars at 2 to 4" with a sub $1000 detector also. The PIs I used to own were heavy, awkward to swing and wore me and my back completely out within 2 hours. Most of that detecting was above 10,000 feet elevation to be sure but they still wore me out. I can detect just as well and feel a lot better doing so in those same areas with a Minelab VLF detector that is not named the Gold Monster 1000. If all I did was detect relatively flat to slightly hilly terrain without too many obstacles and at less than 3,000 feet elevation, a 6 to 8 lbs Minelab PI would be no problem. That is not where I detect most often.