Jeff McClendon

I realize I am late to the party as far as the Axiom. Some of this may have been said already. I haven't read every word or post about the Axiom on this forum yet. I want to say first that I have had a love hate relationship with the GPX 6000. I realize it may have been rushed to release during a world-wide pandemic. So were some other detectors. However, as much as I like the GPX 6000, it has always seemed to me to be a thrown together detector on the outside with some great software engineering on the inside. The flimsy stock coils, weird wobbly twisting won't lockup shaft system, uneven weight distribution, and the well documented audio/speaker/EMI issues just continue to make me wonder how many corners did Minelab have to cut on this detector. It still detects really well, no complaints there, when it can handle EMI conditions and is super, even hyper sensitive to small sub gram targets. I just needed something else that I can trust on deep coins and relics in high iron mineralization and at a saltwater beach along with some rudimentary iron discrimination. So, the Axiom. This is the first pulse induction detector that I have used that seems to be put together from the ground up, from the tip of the battery compartment to the toe of the coils with a complete design in mind. No "hey lets throw this component from this detector and this component from this detector and that battery compartment we already have with this shaft system" kind of mentality and cost cutting. It is a complete design build aside from the use of Garretts Z-Lynk wireless system which I simply do not care for and the shape of the control box which resembles the ACE Apex. I am super impressed and very delighted to see this from a detector company. Nokta came close with the Simplex/Legend but many of the exterior materials used for those two very budget minded detectors are nowhere near the quality of what is used on the Axiom and I would not expect them to be. I am still learning this detector after only a few days. It will take me awhile. What I can see immediately is that it is plenty sensitive to small sub gram gold, it can handle difficult ground conditions well and it has just about every operational feature I need laid out with a very uncomplicated user interface. The Axiom reminds me a lot of the GPX 4000 to GPX 5000 but with a much less complex and hard to access user interface. I can easily see that the Axiom will be much more suited to relic and deep coin hunting than the GPX 6000. I did a lot of testing on about 40 common relics with the 6000 using all of the timings and I never could find a consistent, easy to follow pattern (easy for me anyway) when changing from Mono to DD coils or even changing from Normal to Diffucult using the same type of coil as far as low-high-low or high-low-high audio characteristics. The Axiom does not have this issue. So far it has been very consistent in my preliminary testing on a few common relics and US coins. I am still trying to get used to the 11X7" Focused Core DD coil that came with mine. It is definitely different and I will keep studying Steve's remarks about it. I really like the iron audio discrimination feature that works with DD coils!!! Steve, I know you helped with both the GPX 6000 and the Axiom. Thank you very much for all that you did on these PI detectors during their design and well before that too.

I have been doing some testing before selling some PI detectors that I really like. The testing was done on 0.75 gram lead, 0.25 gram lead and 0.1 gram gold targets using two containers of dirt from an area northwest of Phoenix Arizona and from an area south of Breckenridge Colorado. Both samples are very mineralized with both iron and volcanic material. I placed each target one inch below the surface of each dirt sample and used a ruler stuck one inch into the containers to measure coil height above the target in the dirt. Not by any means a totally realistic test, but as close as I can get right now. I was using a TDI Pulse Scan stock 14.4v battery with Reg Sniff mods, a GPX 6000 and an Axiom. Here are the results and a photo of the dirt containers. The Arizona dirt was no problem for all three detectors to ground balance on. The Colorado dirt was another story. The TDI would not ground balance well at all on it, the GPX 6000 was noisy on it, amazingly enough the Axiom Mono coil was very quiet on that dirt and the Axiom DD coil came up with some really odd ground balance numbers on that dirt....15/03 and was a bit unstable. I was able to run the sensitivity on the TDI and the Axiom at around 85% of max before they became unstable. The GPX 6000 became unstable at Manual 7 of 10 so I could only run it at 60% of maximum. It might have been able to have even better results, but there was EMI in the area with power lines about 1/4 mile away.

I recently purchased a slightly used Garrett Axiom. I have owned the Minelab SDC 2300 (two of them), Minelab GPX 5000 and the Minelab GPX 6000. I liked some things about the SDC 2300 but the ergonomics were not okay for me. I really liked the Minelab GPX 5000 but again, the ergonomics were not okay for me. I like the GPX 6000 even more. Ergonomics are great. Super sensitive PI detector. Build quality however is another story. So is the fact that there are what, 9 search coils for the GPX 6000, 2 of the timings on the 6000 are for Mono coils (Normal and Difficult) and 4 of the timings are for DD coils (Normal EMI, Difficult EMI, Normal Salt and Difficult Salt) but only one of the nine available search coils is a DD coil and it is a ridiculous 14" coil! I have only spent a few hours with the Garrett Axiom. It hasn't taken long to realize what a well built, ergonomically pleasant and excellent operating detector the Axiom is compared to the others mentioned and it has six currently available coils, 3 Mono coils and 3 DD coils. I will be posting some rudimentary testing soon between the GPX 6000, Axiom and TDI 14.4v detectors on sub gram targets. Aside from that, you couldn't pay me any amount of money to swing an SDC 2300 if I had a chance to swing an Axiom instead.

My first thought was realgar and orpiment. If that is true be careful. Those are ores of arsenic sulphide.

I am going to vote for the new Minelab X-Terra Pro. It has all of the collapsibility of the GoFind 66 but way better ergonomics, features, coil choices, versatility (fully waterproof) and a very similar price. Personally, I am not a Nokta Simplex fan even though it has a great price and features. The Simplex audio sounds just too much like a distressed duck for my ears. I like the Minelab Vanquish models a lot since they have Multi IQ simultaneous multi frequency but they absolutely are not waterproof. Just the coil is. Those are the best choices for around $300 detectors. If the Nokta Score was released, I would be voting for it for sure.

I really don’t care about the weight. I can swing a detector left handed or right handed so I switch off if I get tired. Sure, it’s heavier. I don’t have Steve G’s carbon fiber shaft system so I am experiencing the weight with the stock shaft system. I wanted more coverage and I also thought maybe I was missing deeper stuff and I decided to just go for the biggest coil available. I am glad I bypassed the 11” coil and went for the biggest.

Short hunt results with more silver (tiny kid's ring) and 7 copper pennies dating from 1946 to 1964. All of those pennies could have been silver. Three of the dimes have dates that are just after the change to clad in 1965. All dirty coin targets in the photo were at least 7" deep. Some were 8 to 10" deep including the nail and both rings. All were found with the 13X11" Deus 2 coil in an area that I have hunted twice before with the Equinox 900 using the 11" coil and Deus 2 using the 9" coil. The pull-tabs were shallower from surface to 5" deep as were the shiny, recent drop clad. Deus 2 with the 13X11" coil is getting these results using conservative settings, nothing crazy and I am not using the Deep High Conductor program. I am using the Sensitive program with 40 kHz max frequency, disc on 10, iron volume ON in 6 tones. My Tek Point pinpointer in the photo is 9.5" long.

How many coils come with them? Should be two, the 7.5” Dual Field and a 12X8” or so Hi Q (?) elliptical coil along with orange rechargeable battery pack and charger. MAP was $1099 new. Anything less than that should be a good deal for the brand new one. The demo model subtract 10 to 15%.

Welcome to this hobby and to this forum. The Vanquish 540 is an outstanding metal detector for someone who is a newbie. Good luck and keep posting!

Most places I go hunting, I get sideway's glances from adults and lots of attention from kids. If an adult asks me what I'm doing I just tell them I'm a poor, homeless, street person looking for coins and recyclable aluminum with a detector that costs more than a good used car. That usually breaks the ice or sends them running in the opposite direction.

I can't help with the 11" VS 13"X11" comparison. Had I bought an 11" instead of the 13"X11" I may have had the same results. Who knows......? I haven't even started deliberately hunting for deep gold jewelry yet at these same sites. That will come next when the thick spring/summer grass goes thin and dormant for the winter. Right now, there are too many recently dropped/shredded aluminum and steel alloy targets hiding in the grass at these local parks to make deep gold jewelry hunting much fun. In a month or so, I will actually be able to see most of this recent trash on the surface.

Take a strong magnet.

The first time I used my new 13"X11" coil was September 7th 2023. Since then the number of silver coins and jewelry that I have found in a period of 21 days at public park turf sites, no beaches, on ground that I have hunted extensively with Deus 2 using the 9" coil is staggering at least for me. I have not hunted all 21 days either. My hunt log shows 12 hunts with Deus 2 using the 13"X11" coil. Here in Colorado, finding lots of silver coins in a public area means getting extremely lucky as in there has been some soil disturbance like installing a new sidewalk, play structure, trees or flower beds in a park. Or a change in detector/coil has achieved more usable target separation and depth. None of these silver items were found in areas with recent soil disturbances. They were all found deep in moderate to high iron mineralized undisturbed for many years dirt between 7" and 10" deep. Some had very iffy but clearly high conductor target responses with some iron responses mixed in. Others were no brainer, has to be a deep high conductor coin or jewelry responses. I have not dug an equal amount of iron trash by the way......maybe 6 or 7 bent nails. I was one of those people that wanted the 9" coil to be sufficient due to its outstanding ergonomics. Clearly at least for my area, it isn't.

Lower rod was attached.

The equivalent would be another V/Sat. An updated version is the Garrett/Whites Goldmaster 24K. Outstanding detector. https://www.detectorprospector.com/metal-detector-database/garrett-goldmaster-24k-r155/

I just have the 9" and 13X11" so I can't compare the 13X11" to just the 11". I can say that the 13X11"at 668 grams (1.47 lbs) is much heavier than the 9" at 448 grams (0.99 lbs.) and it certainly feels heavier on the stock shaft. Coverage is fantastic using the 13X11" and so is its ability to get through taller grass just by its sheer mass. I haven't used the 13X11" at a beach yet. The 13X11" that I have been using has been finding deep US silver dimes and deep wheat pennies that were missed by me with the 9". No doubt about it. Whether the 11" would have missed those compared to the 13X11"......no idea. Separation is still excellent using the 13X11". The onboard pinpointer function is not as accurate when using the 13X11" compared to the 9" I am using version 2.0 software. The 13X11" has been a good purchase for me so far.

That’s the conundrum, if I use any Disc IAR I will miss small nonferrous targets like small gold since most gold at this location will initially have ferrous target IDs and ferrous tones if I have iron volume on. With Disc IAR off I hear absolutely everything. This area is best hunted with a pulse induction detector. Unfortunately there are large power lines in the area too so EMI is pretty bad. Using a DD coil with the GPX6000 would be ideal but the rugged terrain and the big 14” DD don’t get on too well.

The 600/800, Legend and Deus 2 really do have target ID stability that is on another level. So SLD, consider that when making a choice. Thanks for that story about your wife and daughter using your Nox 800 and the photo of their finds Simon! I wouldn't have dug all of these targets shown below with the Nox 700/900 or with single frequency detectors since most were deep enough to change the air test target IDs that Simon mentioned into target IDs that were not as reliable or trustworthy at least where I detect. This is a photo of US clad and copper coins recovered by Deus ll and the Legend since mid July 2023 after I took the previous batch to the bank after cleaning them. The Deus ll with the 13X11" coil is also absolutely killing it on deep US silver dimes and Wheat pennies in aluminum and iron trashed parks that I thought were done. The Legend with the 6" coil is doing really well in thick iron trash on US Seated and Barber dimes too. It's absolutely true that these advanced detectors can also be used in their default modes by new users. I have had the pleasure of helping several club members with Deus 2, Legend, Equinox 600/800, and Equinox 700/900 purchases in the past year. Most were already experienced detector users and picked them up easily. The people that had never detected before needed a lot more guidance on keeping it simple in the beginning and doing lots of target testing before hunting to learn the basic common target IDs and audio responses. A few dropped out but several have become really good in a short time. Luckily we have this excellent forum with tons of information to guide people who want to purchase a quality detector that can make this hobby both fun and productive for them.

I am going to try to stay out of the Equinox 600/800 versus 700/900 debate as much as possible since I have owned both and my experience has been documented on this forum. SLD appears to be fairly new to this hobby. As a newer detector user, the Legend, Equinox 600/800, Equinox 700/900, XP Deus 2 would be a handful for most who have not used such advanced detectors. In a dig it all situation like saltwater beach hunting and basic gold prospecting, the Legend, Nox 800, Nox 900 and Deus ll would be just fine as long as the Nox 800 didn’t have water ingress or coil ear problems at the beach. Sounds like SLD might do some beach hunting a some point while nugget hunting is a no at this point. However, for anyone needing accurate target IDs for whatever reason for their style of hunting, I absolutely would not recommend the Nox 700 or the Nox 900 unless their soil conditions are basically inert. The Legend, Nox 600, Nox 800 and Deus 2 have far superior target ID accuracy from my experience than the Nox 900 where I have detected with them which included mild to highly mineralized dirt and saltwater beach conditions.

Not crystals. Lichen/moss.

I would go with a hornblende type amphibolite or something similar. Lots of hornblende, amphibole glacier deposited rocks in the Lake Erie area especially with those being found unweathered in the Sudbury/Thetford Canada area north of Lake Erie.

I was able to test and hunt with Deus 2 with 9" coil using FMF Goldfield V2.0 software for about an hour at a Colorado location with very tough magnetite and hot rock mineralization where I have found very small gold nuggets with the ORX in the past. Deus 2's mineralization meter was full at the testing and hunting site. I also took a photo nearby showing some marble sized pieces of magnetite as found on the surface which continue under the surface too. I dug a shallow 6" deep trench, cut a slit into the sidewall of the trench at 2.5" depth and inserted a plastic strip with a 0.1 gram piece of lead glued on it for a test target. V2.0 FMF Goldfield High Square VCO audio with Disc IAR 0, sensitivity 95, reactivity 2.5, audio response 4, threshold 5 hit the target very well and even displayed a target ID of 26 to 30 which is right on the ferrous/nonferrous borderline. I also tested this test target with Deus 2's Fast40 mono 40kHz program in Hi Square Pitch tones with Disc. on -6.4, Silencer 0, sensitivity 95, frequency 39.5 kHz, reactivity 2.5, audio response 4, threshold 5. Fast 40 also hit this target but with no ID and with slightly weaker responses. Those FMF Goldfield settings were actually a little too hot for this location so I increased reactivity to 3 and lowered audio response to 3 which helped a lot. I had to do some fairly frequent ground balancing since there were changing ground conditions with differing levels of soil moisture and magnetite sizes ranging from specs to golf ball sized. I did not find any gold during this short 1 hour hunt with Deus 2 FMF Goldfield V2.0. I did find three very indicative lead fragment targets however. All three were easily detected and had proper low conductor target IDs after a bit of a boot scrape. All were found at around 3" depth. Deus 2's V2.0 Goldfield sensitivity is much improved from previous software versions. Like I said, it was almost too hot for this location. I had my Nokta Legend with 6" coil along with my GPX 6000 with me for the hunt. I didn't even fire up the GPX 6000 due to time constraints and a sore right shoulder. The Legend hit all of the targets that Deus 2 hit but ran a little quieter probably due to its smaller coil. The Legend and Deus 2 have so much information available on the display even in their gold modes. They both have a ferrous/nonferrous probability meter which is all you get on some gold prospecting specific VLF detectors, a mineralization meter, numerical target IDs, depth meter, single digit level notching, onboard pinpointing along with other great features like SMF operation which gives good IDs and no nonsense ground balancing, iron filter settings, audio response settings, reactivity/recovery speed settings, fully adjustable threshold volume and pitch settings, and various audio options. All Deus 2 needs now for high quality gold prospecting is a smaller coil. Thanks again XP for making FMF Goldfield V2.0 a very viable small gold prospecting option!

This characteristic is not limited to the Legend, like I said, Deus 2 and my Equinox 800 also will respond with intermittent iron tones of deeper coin sized objects along with giving ground noise feedback at target ID 11 Legend, 23 Deus 2 and +1 Equinox 800. Switching to a "ground subtraction mode" or adjusting the Legend ground suppression setting off of zero does not help. So this is related to high concentrations of magnetite plus volcanic material in the soil and not a flaw of some kind with these detectors that really do" see" just about everything really well. I have dug enough steel alloy bottle caps to be able to call them before digging with the Legend, Deus 2 and Equinox 800 except when the have been smashed completely flat or a about halfway rusted out.

I only run the Legend bottle cap rejection when I have to. Bottle caps are not a predominant target at the test location. Due to the high iron mineralization in the area, the Legend, Equinox 800 and Deus 2 all detect deeper non-ferrous targets with some intermittent ferrous responses. Running the Legend with the F discrimination pattern would cause broken up, sporadic responses on those nonferrous targets.

I am aware of the announced version 2.0 software update which includes an M4 Beast or boost mode. Whether that has anything to do with some of these current complaints is doubtful. Several previous Nokta Makro detectors had “Boost” modes. In general they were effective in certain circumstances that were not hindered by high EMI or high mineralization. I did not get to use them much.