Gerry in Idaho

Thanks for sharing the info and names of those before you Jim.  The traditional prospector worked their butts off so hard. Dirty work with many times not much reward.  It's not my style of Prospecting as I like to cover area and move along.  I'll stock to swinging a detector and let the traditional miners do their thing.  I image, it all depends on ones mindset and I'm all for folks having fun and smiling as they show their gold, no matter what technique they used to find it.

Speaking of having fun while on the hunt for Au.  Last week I walked/slid/stumbled for 2 days across tailing piles to eventually come home dead tired and sore feet/body.  I whined a little to my wife about it and she looked me in the eyes and said, "then why you do it?"  I actually was caught off guard a little and thought it over a bit before answering.  Then replied "the thrill of the hunt".  

Yesterday, the same tailing piles and I was finally rewarded with a specimen.  Still went home with a sore and beat up body, but for some reason it didn't quite hurt as much.  

Thank you my friend for allowing us to go down memory lane of such a great Prospector.

On 9/10/2023 at 9:45 PM, Ridge Runner said:

Gerry  

 Would you say with all the settings the Manticore has to offer and you had the 8 X 5.5 it would out perform the Gold Monster 1000 running at 45 Kh? I know the Monster is somewhat a simple machine as in most would say a turn on and go machine. Bill Southern has a great video on it and watching it one time would give you a head start in nugget hunting .

 I’m just wondering if it’s really worth paying the difference if all you had planned on using it for was nugget hunting. It already comes with two small coils that’s ideal for nugget hunting.

 My reasoning for asking this question is I’m thinking about getting a VLF detector for nugget hunting and I don’t have the need for another coin machine. Another thing is bye the time you get that small coil for the Manticore you in almost twice the price of the 1000. That’s give are take a dollar are two.

 If anyone can answer my question would be you and a honest one at that.

 Chuck 

 PS Maybe try Nome Alaska one more time.They got something like a bed and breakfast I want to try.hahaI 

I'll take an Equinox 800, or improved 900 and or Manticore over a GM-1000 every day of the week and on weekend.  Now that's me "Gerry" who also detects in water for gold rings, also detects for old coins/relics and also hunts for gold in trashy area.  As you mentioned, just for gold and value, I feel an EQ-800 with free small coil (right now during promo) for $900 is best value and it can do more for gold than a Monster.  My 2nd choice would be the new improved EQ-900 as it comes with both coils for $1100.  Then 3rd would be a GM-1000 for $950 as it also comes with both coils.

If a person who does not go nugget hunting enough to understand proper Ground Balance Techniques and running a detector as hot as possible (when conditions allow), and not care about a Threshold, then most certainly the GM-1000 or Garrett 24K would be in the cross hairs.

For me, I've probably put close to 100 hrs on the Manticore for gold prospecting and the more I use/play/test with it, the better my results are starting to show.  I was not on board at 1st, but just like any new machine, it takes time/testing/patience.  Heck I can remember when the GM-1000 came out, I hated it...and same with an old school Gold Bug-2.

I think the biggest problem for many folks getting into the nugget hunting, is if you come from a PI to a VLF, it's a whole new ball game you need to learn/master.  Most folks don't want to take the time, don't like hearing the mineralized ground and hat chasing Hot Rocks.  I've detected with VLF long enough, those weaknesses don't both me as I see the benefits of the VLF.

Alaska- It's your dream Chuck, so go do it. Time is running out on us all, and it's time to get out and make memories my friend.  Don't forget the bug spray.

7 hours ago, Valens Legacy said:

Sad when so many people laugh at your post.

I'll try to do better next time.

VL, 1st off the Enginuity of your alert system is priceless in a meaningful way.  So many different ways to share/learn and what better than from other prospectors and the tricks/ways we find to make things work and or fail.  Hat's off to you and your very educated Grandfather.

As for the laughs my friend, no hard feelings please.  Sometimes we laugh as in (that's one way of doing things = chuckle genius).  Laughter is a good sign, I sure hope so anyway.  I've been laughed right off this forum a time or two and have learned....well no I haven't.  But I accept it because you guys are my friends in the MD'ing community.  Besides, from a keyboard, it so hard to get a feel for how something is being said and can easily be twisted/turned.  Please don't take a laughing face as something negative, especially with a bunch of old cagey internet thugs like us.  Heck, I enjoy a laugh/chuckle and even laugh out loud at myself on occasion, just to make others around me wonder?

All is good my friend and your Grandfather was very talented with the tools around him.

On 9/8/2023 at 11:05 AM, DigDeep said:

I’ve tried my Manticore several times and finding it a bit frustrating as well. 
I’ve been using SD, GP and several GPX’s for a long time. I love them and no complaints.  I’ve found a lot of gold with them but it’s getting harder to find nuggets in my local areas that are relatively trash free, at least what I can tolerate lol. I know there’s still good gold to be found in the trashy areas so I bought a Manticore hoping it would discriminate well enough to make it tolerable. So far I’m not having much luck. 
I set up the discrimination pattern and ferrous limits to pretty much give a window of just gold. I tested it over a couple dozen nuggets of various size that I have and they fall into this window. But in the field it’s still getting a ton of steel and other junk. At least usually until I got it out of the hole and the coil sitting right on it then it goes quiet and finally figured out it’s ferrous or out of range.  

-recovery speed 3 is what seems to work the best. 

I’m honestly quite disappointed with the depth as well on nuggets. 
My 5000 with a 12” NF EVO is quite a bit more sensitive in every aspect. 
 

Do you have any suggestions or tweaks I can do to help it out?

The Manticore is a quite capable detector in trashy areas and can be much better than the other PI machines you mentioned.  But I won't compare them for depth since Manticore falls into the VLF category.  I've recovered gold at 12" and trash at 16" so know it has great depth for a VLF class machine.

If you did not come from an Equinox and the Manti is your 1st VLF type machine, you have quite a learning curve ahead of you.  Keep playing with the Settings and using it.  Be sure to also bury some of your desired targets in the soils you wish to swing.  Trash in old mining areas is your friend when using the Manticore.

Are you looking for solid nuggets or the invisible gold (specimens & wire gold)?  The reason I ask, is the SD's, GP's and almost all the GPX series (minus the new GPX-6000 and Axiom) miss a lot of gold the Manticore sees.  I'm assuming you are looking for the solid stuff?  If your test pieces are solid nuggets, I recommend purchasing some specimen gold and run some tests with them as well.  You'll see right away some pieces hit extremely well with Manticore and your old PI's either won't see/hear or nearly not as deep.

Those areas you have had success with the older machines and there's trash still in there, I most certainly recommend the Manti in there.  Many people tell me they have no such kind of gold in their area. Well if your detector can't see it, then you are not finding it.  Sure I hunt a few areas with no specimens and invisible gold, but I also do really well in areas I used to hunt with old PI's and found plenty gold, but thought there was no specimens because back then I wasn't finding them.  Fact is, as I learned more about detectors and their capabilities I started finding more with the VLF and improved newer PI's.

As for your GAIN at 27?  I can't get much higher than 22/23 with my Manticore in nonmineralized soils (less in mineralized grounds) and wonder why so high?  I run wide open on the Horseshoe and always turn up the Threshold.

Which Audio Mode under Prospect are you swinging?  If you don't know, then you are not playing with the detector enough.  That's ok, because you are still asking questions.  The best thing for so many people when on a new detector, is to take it out in the field and sit down with plenty of time and play with it and the targets you desire to find, in the soils you want to hunt.  Sure it cuts into your detecting time, but the knowledge gained will pay you dividends in the long run.  You know enough (said you had great success with older PI's) to realize, the gold hunt is very time consuming, but at the same time, it's also quite rewarding when the metal shines at the bottom on your hole.

On 9/4/2023 at 6:38 PM, Joe D. said:

Gerry,

  Sounds to me like, for whatever reason🤔,your gold hunting was secondary; at best!? Not sure why I got that impression!!🙄😂👍👍

Joe D.  I've been with the same lady for 35+ yrs and so those brothels were for entertainment purposes (tax write off).  Part of the visit was to take in the local culture and when I seen I could take a real tour, see real working girls (I think a couple were fake or inflated) 1 with an adams apple (she/he was interesting to say the least but fun to chat with).  What my prize possession beside my bigger gold specimen, was the "Menu".  Yes I had to purchase the menu for my proof of visitation.  What's crazy, is I can't seem to find it right now.  I guess it's probably good for the forum I not find it, I'd probably get banned for a week.  Some of the menu items had interesting name "Prospectors Poke, Miners Delight, Eureka".  Even if I was single, I would not spend the money on the "eureka", they are proud of their capabilities. 

On 9/2/2023 at 5:42 PM, Steve Herschbach said:

I think the real question is if the Manticore at $1599 is really any better at nugget detecting than an Equinox 800 at $899? Personally I have my doubts and I can’t see anyone getting the Manticore primarily for nugget detecting. That said, if a person had one anyway, there is no reason not to use it for nugget detecting. Coils? 5x8 for the little stuff and 12x15 for covering tailing piles or other large areas for depth in the big chunks. Or just go 11” as the best all around compromise it’s designed to be. I’d be getting the 5x8 myself if I had a Manticore and might prefer it over the 6” round on the Equinox, if only Minelab made such a coil for the Nox. But my Coiltek 5x10 has it covered for my Nox and none of those on the radar yet for the Manticore.

I've been putting time on the Manticore chasing gold in trashy areas.  My initial testing was not worth writing about and I was actually pretty upset.  I've since played around with some Timings and starting to get dialed in and some results.  As for price difference vs performance for Prospecting and the shortage of coils?  I feel you are correct Steve.  But since I hunt a variety of treasures and also underwater/beach, I am starting to get tuned in with the Manti and seeing results.

Thanks for your persepctive.

The stronger the better.  be sure to get the coated ones as rare earth super magnets seem to easily chip, crack and or break.

I don't let snakes and animals discourage me, but I do have a couple areas in Oregon, that I won't swing certain times of the year.  Also watch out for ticks and mosquitoes as they sicken more people in the US each year than snakes and scorpions.

As for gear that I feel is great to have, that I have yet to see mentioned.  A rare earth Super magnet, a test piece of gold or softer lead and backup detector and headphones.

As mentioned, it's people that I worry about.  Most are ok and just out there enjoying their weekend.  Others are out there trying to survive and you and or your belongings are on their survival needs.

Good luck.

Honestly, I don't think I'll go back.  For the cost to be there with transportation, gear, food etc for a month, I think the majority of American detectorists will be disappointed with the gold they return home with.

If you are going over there to hunt for gold nuggets only, I feel it's not worth the trip.  So much of the land there has been claimed and off limits.  The best land has been flogged to death and most of the gold being recovered is smaller bits.  If you have an inside source/person to get you on great land, even then, it's tough swinging.

Now, if you are going over there as a Bucket List and want to enjoy Australia for the many things it has to offer (culture, beaches, wildlife, big cities, history, visiting Perth Mint, and maybe finding a piece of Aussie gold or opal, then do it and don't look back.  It's a beautiful place with lovely people and interesting brothels.  The menus on the brothels are some of the most imaginable I've seen.

If I spent a month in the field here in the US swinging as hard as I did in Australia, I would most certainly end up with more gold. Yes our best land is flogged as well and so many claims, but since I live here in the US, it's easier to track down the claim owners and work a deal to get permission.  Also, I enjoy hunting bigger gold in dredge tailing piles and trash site.  Australia (Kalgoorlie area) did not have any dredge tailing piles that I found.

I still had a wonderful time, met some interesting people, stuffed some really weird roadkill down my gullet and visited some of the best brothels I have ever set eyes.

Yes I even found a little heavy metal, but I don't think i would go back just to detect for natural gold.  Now their beaches, I think I could enjoy a few gold rings.

Sorry I can't recommend where to go.

19 minutes ago, GotAU? said:

Gerry’s says BOCADAU

or Gold n’ mouth in English….

Who me?  Never heard of such a thing.  But they do look yummy.

GOLDGTR, BIGROCK, BIGGOLD, AU-MINE, AU-SLUG, CRUMMIE, PLA-CER, HVYMETL

Good luck buddy.

14 hours ago, UT Dave said:

First I have heard of an M9.  Very odd.

No word on lower shafts, I guess?

Thanks Gerry!

- Dave

Not sure on timing but here's the part #'s we were provided.

13 hours ago, Ridge Runner said:

Gerry  

 It’s a video on the M8 and the M15 showing both. The 8 is 8X5.5 and for me that would be first pick.

 Chuck 

I'm still trying to find out what the heck the M-9 coil is?  

Also, maybe and hopefully CoilTek is on the table with a small elliptical coil, say a 6" x 3" or similar size like the GB-2 or the LST or the GMT.  To those who say the really small coils don't find bigger gold?

8 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

The prices have already been posted, and Gerry, a top Minelab dealer, hopes to have coils by Christmas.

Steve,  I appreciate the kind words and yes at one time I was a top selling dealer. Today, I can't say that, as so many things have changed in the industry and with Minelab.  Top knowledgeable dealer, top ethical dealer, top sales to Veterans dealer, top in the field skilled dealer, top dealer with top Field Staff Experts who train customers, Yes I'll accept all those.  But overall top Minelab dealer?  Not much anymore and or I doubt the future, unless some serious changes are made. But thanks again for being there.

8 hours ago, phrunt said:

Am I understanding correctly Minelab have said for dealers not to take pre-orders, in other words take people's money with no product to give? That's great news they're taking that stance.    The dealers doing it were giving Minelab a bad name when they were late to deliver product.

It could have been meant that way Simon, but I read it as Minelab USA and the Distributors were not taking Pre Orders.  I know this.  I have already had customers reach out to me and want to Pre Pay.  I declined, just as I did with the Manticore.  The Equinox roll out mess, taught me a lesson.  To be fair to Minelab USA, I really don't think they have much control over when coils will be sent to them either.  Either way of how we take the "Pre Order" deal, I also think it's wise to not do Pre Orders.

I've been so crazy busy this summer my gold hunting has taken a hit.  Finally the last couple weeks has freed up some time for swinging the Manticore.  As you all know, the only coil most of us have is the stock 11" coil, so that's what I've been using.

Now that the info has come out (yesterday to us dealers) about the options and the part #'s with prices, I'm starting to get excited for a smaller coil.  No, they messed up and will not offer us the small 6" coil, but they are offering an M-8, M-9, and M-15 (or the stock M-11).

What do you folks think will be the best coil option for Au nuggets/specimens and does anyone know the different or seen pics of the M-9?  That one caught me off guard as I had not seen or heard of such.

Below a couple Manticore specimens from this year using stock 11" coil.  1st is a 3.6 gram and 2nd is a 11.8 gram.

Notice this piece was broken and likely off a larger section.  Need to go back and hunt around there much more to find the bigger chunk.

I can't seem to find any info about the M-9 coil.  Has anyone else heard anything?

We dealers were updated to the part #'s and prices yesterday.  We were also told of No Pre Orders and ETA of the accessories.  I'm hoping for Christmas.

On 8/24/2023 at 12:04 PM, dirtman said:

Jerry what's yer best approximation of total depth from 1st swinging above the surface and getting a signal ? 🤔

That specimen was only about 8" down.  Probably 1 to 2" gap from coil to the soil when swinging.  Here's what most folks don't realize.  A specimen such as this does not have a big mass of gold like say a 3 gram nugget.  The detector will hit even deeper on solid targets.  I've dug gold over a foot at depth with the Axiom and dug a few iron targets near 2' deep.

On 8/24/2023 at 9:27 AM, Ridge Runner said:

I’ve said in the past and that’s Gerry is going to lose that nugget to the great beyond one day and when that happens I don’t want to be in a radius of 5 miles when it sees daylight again.

 That video was like being there and I wanted to tell you to get out of the way because you’re not digging fast enough.

 The Best Always!

 Chuck 

Chuck,  If I could do video editing as well as I run a detector, it sure would make things easier on the eyes.  If I do swallow one on accident, I sure hope it comes out even more shiny.🤣 

2 hours ago, rvpopeye said:

Nice one Gerry ! 

But I've been wondering about this for a while now . 🤔 

What do you do if it doesn't fit ??

🖖Live long and prospect.

 

That's a problem I don't find often enough.  🤣

1 hour ago, strick said:

Nice Gerry Thanks for taking us along 😊

strick

Sorry for the crappy long dead time in the video, but I don't know how to cut pieces out.  At least everyone can easily see, I'm no expert with video capabilities.

I was detecting some old mining piles that were pushed around years ago and was able to score I really nice chunky Gold Specimen with the Axiom.

Some after pics of the quick spit washed showed a nice find for my efforts.

Globby gold on one side.

13" MONO coil on the Axiom while using Garrett AT Carrot Pointer.

Beautiful.

.

2.17 ozt

Sucking the juice out of it.  Hey you only live once right.🤣

Scott (OneGuy), You were a shining example of what so many want to be.  Your detecting experiences and numerous adventures were a joy to read.  We'll catch you on the other side some day and hopefully start where we left off.  Until then, we all miss you down here.  RIP my friend.

Norvic,  Sorry to hear you are experiencing LCD screen displacement.  Of all the Axiom's I've sold, that's a 1st for me, so sure it's not a common problem.  I've seen this a few times with the GPZ-7000 and yes with some field mods it can still work/perform.

As for the Axiom's ability vs a GPX-6000 and you starting to see it shine more.  Buddy, we all know, the more time on a  detector and us trying to fine tune it, then the results get better.  Biggest issue with me on the GPX-6000 is the lack of User Control when compared to all the features the Axiom has and it's ability to make adjustments (like we had with a GPX-5000).

Also, here in the US the price difference is a big factor, but I see/hear outside of US is not so true.  Still wonder why?

Thanks for sharing the good/bad from a real user standpoint.