Jeff McClendon

The Clerke First Guns revolvers we’re definitely throw aways and aren’t made any more. The 25 acp FIE Titan E28 semi automatic is no longer being produced but a similar Saturday Night Special based on the Raven is currently being made by Phoenix Arms. The Titan has no mag but it is in cocked position. A round could still be in the chamber but I highly doubt that it would still be "live" or that the gun still even remotely functions. I agree with others, I would turn them into local law enforcement. They have zero historic or collector value. If the Titan was instead a Colt Pony or something similar I might have a different opinion depending on what condition it was in. I am not surprised that you found them in a river. Great hunt!!!

The IDs are really accurate aside from having them change a bit. At least they change unilaterally up or down a couple of numbers instead of just one type of conductivity changing randomly. Once I know what they are, they are as accurate as the Equinox 600/800 but with a lot better target ID scale especially in the mid conductor range where the 600/800 only have about 10 target IDs and Deus 2 has 20. Deus 2 has exhibited some minor up averaging on deeper targets but that may have more to do with the mineralization here which Deus 2 handles very well most of the time.

Not really much change in mineralization. We have had a lot of unusual rain lately. I noticed this when I first got my Deus 2 however and there has been no change from v0.71 to v1.10

Deus 2’s target IDs are extremely accurate and consistent on modern US coins. My only issue with it is that the IDs change from day to day depending on soil moisture conditions and ground balance even using the exact same program and settings each day. So I carry a few coins with me to test before I start hunting. Today, surface to 6” US nickels were 62/63. Yesterday at a different site they were 60/61. Once I know what the target IDs are for the day, they are rock solid.

US clad coins found during a 3 hour hunt today at a big Denver area park. Most of the “trash” in the area I was hunting at was actually US zinc pennies and various pull tabs. Deus 2 really does well cherry picking US nickels and of course the rest of the modern US coins. Most targets were 3 to 6” deep and were recovered with a screwdriver using coin popping method. Little gold looking earring and part of a watch band are actually .925 silver. I basically gridded a 20 by 60 yard area. I left a lot of zinc pennies in the ground. I got tired of digging them. Deus 2 is just a fantastic modern USA coin hunting detector. thanks for looking

Thanks for calling Serious Detecting. At least their answer was not a forever NO. Maybe there will be a V80 in my future someday.

Look at the second and eighth posts in this topic for sure:

I don't own a Manticore and have never used one. I have owned and used a CTX 3030, Deus 1 and Deus 2 which all have a form of 2D visual target mapping/trace. There is definitely some information that can be gained from those detectors besides just audio nuances and target IDs which can help separate rounded objects with good density from randomly shaped aluminum trash, iron objects and ferrous/non-ferrous alloys. These extra visual aids will not definitively distinguish a gold ring from an undamaged oval or square pull tab, a brass grommet, a US nickel or any other round, dense object that has an overlapping target ID that is the same as any gold ring. I have not read the original exchange that this topic is based on (and I really don’t want to) so I haven't got both sides of the coin. So I don't know if the person's post was so careless and general that it actually said that the Manticore's Target Trace function can tell the difference between gold jewelry and aluminum trash. Deus 1 and Deus 2's XY Graph display can often give a really good indication of dense, round non-ferrous objects as opposed to irregularly shaped non-ferrous targets, many ferrous objects, and many mixed ferrous/non-ferrous objects if those objects aren't excessively deep. I have no doubt that the Manticore's Target Trace can do something similar. For anyone wanting more information about the Manticore's Target Trace and how it sort of works and what influences the shape of the images, the manual is available on Minelab's website and starts on page 27. Here is just some of page 27. Target Trace INTERPRETING THE TARGET TRACE Most detected targets will show a distinct Target Trace that accompanies a solid, repeatable Target ID number. Just like the ID number, the Trace fades away over 5 seconds. Learning to interpret the Target Trace is a worthwhile skill because it shows you additional information about the target that cannot be conveyed by the Target ID number alone and may not be obvious from listening to the detection audio. For example, if you detect a Target ID that you aren't interested in, but the ID Map is showing an elongated or irregularly shaped Trace, then there may be an adjacent object that is affecting the accuracy of the Target ID. You can now choose to investigate the target further. Factors that affect the shape and position of the Target Trace include metallic composition, complexity, orientation and depth as well as swing rate and Frequency setting. The opacity of the Target Trace is dependant on target strength. Strong signals generate a darker trace (are more opaque) whereas weaker signals generate a lighter trace (are more transparent). Coins Most non‐ferrous coins appear on the centreline as a distinct round dot. Low conductive coins (e.g. hammered or cut coins) appear to the left, and high conductive coins (e.g. large silver coins) appear to the right. Note that some countries have ferrous coins, which will not appear on the centreline. Pull tabs (and large aluminium foil) Aluminium pull tabs are a common trash target that appear on the centreline as a distinct round dot, similar to coins.

The Legend does not lose stability at higher sensitivity and has no issues with small gold. It is very similar to the Minelab Equinox 800 on small gold nuggets and pickers.

The 700/900 are just as sensitive to small gold nuggets as the Equinox 800 from what I have experienced and they already have excellent gold prospecting coil choices. Most of the people, including me, that are reporting target ID instability and weird DD coil behavior are people that hunt in high iron mineralization or ground with lots of coke, slag and fertilizer. Others who do not hunt in high mineralization are not noticing as much instability. So maybe it is a ground mineralization handling issue which is kind of odd since the Equinox 600 and 800 broke the mold as far as being able to handle tough ground conditions.

Thanks for posting the link. Excellent video from Brass Medic included in the link. Looks like a very good update especially for hunting sites with lots of nails and for gold prospectors. Time for the new coils!!!

There is absolutely zero wrong with a person on a budget picking up an X-terra Pro for gold prospecting when starting out. If they have a $300 US or less budget and don't mind using their own 1/8" wired earbuds or 1/8" wired headphones and the stock 12"X9" coil, everything is just fine. The X-Terra Pro in that case is an amazing deal and the new owner can use it very effectively for a lot more than just gold prospecting too. If they want to get the 6" round coil....add $150 US. If they also want the ML85 wireless headphones that currently are the only wireless headphones that pair with the X-terra Pro....add another $150 US if you can find someone selling them. If a person is already and Equinox 600/800 owner with extra coils, great. If a person is already an Equinox 700/900 owner with extra coils and ML85s, even better. Not throwing cold water on using the X-Terra Pro in its stock configuration as a gold prospecting detecting. It will definitely work just fine along with all of the other uses for the X-Terra Pro. However, getting an extra coil and wireless audio runs the price up to $600 US. There might be better options in that case.

I’m on Social Security with a little retirement fund and I work 2 part-time jobs. The last thing I needed was to pay over $4000 US for the GPX 6000. The lighter weight and the high sensitivity to a wide range of nugget sizes is what tempted me to do it. I was disappointed in the GPX 6000 at first but now I guess I am happy with it. Have I found $4000 US worth of gold with it already…..nope. Like many, I tried the less expensive Whites PIs. They just aren’t the answer for me. A GPX 4500 in a lightweight housing with lightweight battery sounds fantastic. I would be just as happy with a PI that costs half as much as the GPX 6000 that would hit 0.1 gram nuggets a few inches deep along with deeper bigger sized gold, that weighs less than 4 lbs, uses current GPX 5000 and prior models Mono and DD coils and would double as a good relic and saltwater beach detector.

I'm not ignoring other peoples ground conditions. Wilderland wrote: " very recently witnessed an air test comparison on small gold with the X-Terra Pro against both an Equinox 800 & 900, a Manticore, an Axiom, and a 6000 & 7000." The OP did not mention what test targets were being used or settings used. I just gave the OP information on air tests that may support his experience as far as single frequency detectors running between 14 and 19 kHz. You and I both know that these latest simultaneous multi frequency detectors and pulse induction detectors don't appear to do well at all in air tests versus single frequency VLFs unless there is virtually no EMI in the area. I just base what I have experienced on in the ground targets at the places that I hunt which includes really bad places near me and places in Arizona, New Mexico and Montana that aren't nearly as mineralized as around here. I hope everyone doesn't go out and buy a GPX 6000. I want competition not a GPX 6000 monopoly. I still would go for a less than 4 lbs less that $2000 gold prospecting competitive PI in a heartbeat over the GPX 6000.

I don't own an Xterra Pro. I do own an Equinox 800, Equinox 900, Deus 2 and a GPX 6000 along with a Nokta Legend. I used to own and prospect with the X-Terra 705 with 18.75 kHz coil. I did a lot of testing and kept records of test results back when I had the 705 and several other 14+ kHz detectors. Basically the Equinox 800, 900, Legend and Deus 2 using roughly 15 kHz single frequency, stock 11" or 9" (Deus 2) coils and similar as I can make it settings all detect the same 0.05 gram, 0.1 gram, 0.25 gram and 0.8 gram targets that I used for my XT 705 testing with almost the exact same air testing results as the XT 705 to within a couple of millimeters. The same goes for the Whites MXT/MX7, Garrett AT Gold, Garrett ACE Apex, Fisher F75/F70, Nokta Multi Kruzer, Fisher F19, Deus 1/ORX and many other single frequency detectors that I have tested and kept records on that operate between 14 and 19 kHz. I have no doubt that the X-Terra Pro running at 15 kHz in Park or Field with DP tones and all targets IDs accepted will perform in air tests similar to the Equinox models running at selectable 15 kHz with similar settings. The "Blah, Blah, Blah" ground mineralization/hot rocks is where things change fast so the "truth" being out there needs to factor in how the X-Terra Pro running at 15 kHz does on small gold nuggets in substantially mineralized ground compared to the other detectors you mentioned both using 15 kHz and compared to those VLF detector's optimum gold prospecting modes and settings. At least from my experience, the GPX 6000 running at manual 10, normal or difficult ground setting with its 11" mono coil will out perform all of these detectors on in the ground gold nugget targets from 0.05 grams and larger.

Minelab did contact me about my Nox 900 and sent me a replacement so they are reading these forums. My new Nox 900 acts basically like the one I sent to Minelab for testing. Otherwise, Minelab does not give out information about timing of impending software updates, coils or detectors. XP does it sometimes. Nokta does it regularly. Anyway, the Nox 600/800 has about 6 target IDs between US nickels and US zinc pennies from 14 to 19 that I could choose to dig or ignore if I wanted to when USA coin hunting. The Nox 700/900/Manticore seem to have the same non-ferrous target ID scale. Now with the expanded target ID scale of these detectors there are roughly 33 target IDs between a US nickel and a US zinc penny that I need to at least keep track of. Just using the 900, there is not a lot of distinctive information about coin sized objects that can be given by the 900’s audio. At least the Manticore has some visual indications that might help with identifying what might be under the coil if it has a non ferrous ID between 29 and 62. I don’t like looking at a display very much but it may help at this point. Target ID instability at least for me is present to various degrees using Deus 2, Nox 900 and to a lesser degree the Legend. I am also seeing some significant upaveraging and shifting of target IDs of deeper coin sized targets using the Nox 900 and Deus 2 which is frankly annoying. I assume the Manticore may also do some similar upaveraging on some coin sized targets. For me, it would be great to only need one or two VLF detectors for the types of hunting I do. Right now, the five that I own all have strengths and weaknesses that are covered by each other. No one detector beats the others in every category that I need a detector for like coin and jewerly, relics, submerged fresh and saltwater, and gold prospecting, all of which usually happens in at least moderately mineralized conditions with either tons of modern or 1800s trash. The one that comes the closest to doing everything really well at this point amazingly enough is the Nokta Legend. It’s great to have all of these excellent detectors. Hopefully one will rise above them all at least for me and my hunting conditions with continued software updates and coil choices.

If the 8" coil was available I would also buy a Manticore. I would sell my Equinox 900 and Deus 2, keep my 800 with all of the excellent coils I already own for it along with the APTX low latency earbuds/headphones that I already own that work with the 800, GPX 6000 and the Legend and just enjoy detecting with these great detectors. Tired of waiting for XP to fix Deus 2 for gold prospecting via software and a smaller coil and I don't really like the Equinox 900 very much even though both work very well for most detecting. I can't see disliking the Manticore anymore than I dislike the Equinox 900 at this point.

Serious Detecting which has been a seller of the entire Quest line of products and detectors for many years, has the Quest V60 and V80 detectors on the second Quest products page of their online catalog. Currently they are listed as "Sold Out" but prices are included: $599 US for the V60, $699 for the V80 with one coil, $799 for the V80 with 2 coils.

You have made the jump to digital detectors too! The MX Sport is based on the MX5 which was White's "digital" successor to the MXT. I am still a big fan of the MX5. Everytime I see one listed on eBay or one of the forums for a ridiculous price I am tempted but, been there and definitely done that. Moving on.

Did you try holding down the power/settings button for at least 30 seconds at startup after the Se error code appeared? That is the remedy recommended in the troubleshooting part of the manual. No matter what, Nokta will honor the Legend’s 3 year warranty if that remedy doesn’t work.

That is too bad if that turns out to be true. I hope it is just incomplete information. If it is true I guess I can save my money for something else since I was very interested in the V80.

A lot of the V1.0/1.1 update was correcting and adding some missing features on the WS6 Master like a zero notch setting and tracking ground balance that made XP look kind of silly when they claimed earlier that the WS6 Master had virtually identical features as the main remote. I am trying to get used to High Square audio and the Silencer settings. I am still experiencing a lot of falsing on wet moderate to highly iron mineralized dirt in my area. Natural and manmade iron falsing even using v1.1 is pretty bad (not as bad as the Equinox 900) so more to come on that. The target IDs are also a moving target depending on ground balance and what frequency an EMI noise reduction frequency shift chooses. Setting notches like for Rattlehead's Silver Slayer is not as exact as it was using 0.71. More to come on that too. No change in FMF Goldfield's insensitivity to sub 0.5 gram and smaller gold nuggets and micro gold jewelry.

I have no problem with your testing, results and conclusions as far as EMI and the Legend is concerned. Reducing coil size is another way to deal with interference from EMI that really works. As far as ground mineralization........No, I do not agree that depth loss due to ground mineralization should be higher with the larger coil in general. That totally depends on the individual coil, the detector being used, the settings being used and especially the size of the target. That is an entirely different issue. EMI is a return signal issue. Ground mineralization is a transmit and return signal issue.

I have screwed up and made technical specs mistakes on forums and I often apologize for them. I try to do the same when I mistreat someone because of a misunderstanding or because I am having a bad day and let it filter into what I write. Merrill and a few other YouTubers have made basic technical mistakes in their videos. Whether they do it on purpose, accidentally or out of ignorance, for me it really doesn't matter. What does matter to me is how they handle it when people actually call them out for their blunders/bloopers/deliberately wrong information. My experience with trying to suggest that some of these YouTubers are giving out wrong information based on a technical mistake has generally not gone very well for me. Merrill stopped responding to my comments on his videos long ago and I have stopped watching them also.

I am not in the same area of the world as Minton so I am not going to offer any Legend help other than to move away from the default settings since most of them are for basic hunting by people with very little experience who also do not have difficult conditions to detect in. Minton's conditions appear to be fairly extreme. XP ORX with one of the HF coils or even a Deus 2 Lite with 9" coil and WS6 Master would be my choice over the Minelab X-Terra Pro 10 times out of 10.