GotAU?

Here’s a YouTube story about the meteorite pieces that crashed through the guy’s house in Koblenz, Germany on March 8, 2026. There’s a pretty good image of what it looks like on the ground. How lucky to find a meteorite so close to home, when some of us have to drive hundreds of miles to find them! 😉

@Jonathan Porter - Johnathan, that was an impressive hole you dug for that 4-gramer! I’m curios, what is currently the lightest and smallest bit of gold that it’ll sound off on, or know of being recovered, at any depth? (Inquiring minds in the smallest nugget club want to know) 🙂

Jim is a good guy and a great dealer, he’ll go the distance to help out his customers! Good luck with the sale, Jim, sorry you are having to throw in the towel on selling for Garrett- you are one of those dealers who really knows your wares, and Garrett does not realize what they are missing.

Interesting note about your 2300. Did you bring spare batteries, or just run it as is?

I don’t see the 6000 being discounted, as the market for those will still be high - it is within financial reach for more people than the 8000 will ever be. The 2300 has a unique niche being the only waterproof PI Minelab sells, so I’d think it still has a place. But perhaps it will be the 7000 that will suffer the same fate as the 5000’s and others like it in the future. But what do I know? 😉

They are still taking entries, Simon, and your invite is still good! 🙂

I prefer lukewarm water, not cold (have gotten some horrible stomach cramps when drinking cold water when I was too hot). And as an electrolyte, a chilled V8 on hot summer days is great- no fat, lots of potassium and some calories. I highly recommend them.

I would drywash it, and as he’s doing a commercial operation there, he could probably do it with one of those large production banks of drywashers to get through it faster, else I think he would be using too much water.

Mitchel, there’s some awfully cute looking mini track hoes that you can get in various bright colors, and they even include a scraping blade on the front end. My wife says they look like bubble gumball machines. Are you thinking of getting one now for that deep gold? 😉

This website has the least expensive one on sale, check out the photos and you’ll see what I mean about the drop-down pocket that holds long items, it also comes with the built-in bright orange rain fly that’s quite useful, especially in deer season! https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/alps-outdoorz-trail-blazer-backpack?a=1948758&szc=000&clrc=gjk&utm_source=google&utm_medium=pla&utm_channel=shoppingads&utm_campaign=23487370212&utm_product=wx2*0670166gjk000&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23487370212&gbraid=0aaaaadzpao1y5sfz2vcktwpa0occ28rj3&gclid=eaiaiqobchmivpiwt5d6kgmvsqutbh34pwnaeaqyaiabegj_jpd_bwe

The backpacks designed to hold rifles or skateboards have a special pocket on the back to store long items- I use a Alps Trailblazer for my assembled detector and pick that was recommended here, only thing is it doesn’t have a lot of pockets but it’s pretty good for doing what you mentioned. It has the built-in straps plus fold down pocket that is designed to support your rifle stock, or detector, with the other end sticking up. I also use it to carry my tripod when I’m out doing photography. That new Minelab pack looks like it’s for just storing their new detector with its expensive toilet seats -if you know which one I mean. I don’t think it would be that useful for long hikes- there is no weight bearing waist belt strap on it.

Yikes!! Hope your buddy doesn’t do that to a more expensive detector, imagine doing that with a 8000! Redbluffed does have a good point about shipping damage- remember that Axiom with a snapped off control pod? That was sad. But that’s the only case I’ve heard of that happening, so if packaged carefully, it should survive the two way trip.

I get that you don’t want to return it for such an easy service, but I would try Garrett service anyway- they are really good and may give you a complementary battery replacement.

Simon, what is Benign mode? I honestly don’t know.

It does come with a solid skid plate, but there’s a slight manufacturing issue…😉 It’ll be very interesting to see what type and sizes of gold it is actually capable of detecting. The desire to find larger and deeper gold is still very strong for many and this will keep that going in if the price is not too far out beyond the reach of most detectorists.