ChuckScrivener

That would be acceptable too.

Love to see this. Maybe we'll finally start to see more innovation in the metal detecting market. Minelab is finally going to feel some pressure to release something new perhaps? Whether it be an advancement in technology or perhaps repacking an SDC into a housing like an Equinox. At the very least, I'm happy we are going to get options from at least 3 other manufacturers now with Garrett, Algoforce and Nokta joining the market.

My two cents on this subject is that I mess with anything detectable. And a big reason for that is how many patches I have found because the tip off piece was a speck.

That would be a dream detector for me. You could even go with a smaller housing because I’d buy it without the screen and just go simple like the SDC is now. Giving me goosebumps just thinking about heading out on my electric bike to one of my nearby old patches and picking up some crumbs for an easy half day hunt. I used to like the SDC for patch hunting too but it got too heavy as I got older. I see fewer young prospectors out there these days so maybe a super lightweight easy swinging PI would help boost sales amongst the old minelab faithful who are an aging demographic. I’m not sure if I’ll be buying an Algo Force but I thank them for bringing something competitive and new to the PI detector market.

That's why I'm sorry for my grandkids who are just getting into this hobby. The early days with detectors were so much fun because the gold was there. Having been picked over it's hard to get anything but crumbs. New patches are still out there but the ones I've seen lately have come without the traditional indicators like dry wash piles or any old workings. They were the tough ones for even the old timers to find. I think the better finds for the future may come from better discrimination being able to search through old home sites or trashy tailings.

I’ll take this a little off topic but I’ve been detecting for decades and I’d say my usual districts seemed to peak about 15 years ago. Used to be 2-3 campers every weekend out there. I’ve been out 6 times this winter and only seen one. I don’t think people are interested in getting out as much anymore. Biggest reason being it’s a lot harder to find gold these days for most. If a detector came out that truly stepped up like the gp 2000 did then I think that’d change but nothing new seems to make finding new gold patches much easier.

Not sure if 2 grams is your average size nugget. Those with more expertise can chime in better than myself. But, detecting 20 years ago my patches would usually average nuggets of a couple grams. Better technology with detectors have come along and I've been able to quell the hot ground better and now those patches have produced 10 sub gram nuggets for every gram plusser I used to find. I'm not trying to sound like I know what you're dealing with but in my opinion every patch that has 10 multi grammers probably has a hundred sub grammers. We just don't know what we aren't finding. Weight is a different matter. Sometimes those multigrammers will outweigh the numerous small ones when all added up. Both machines are great. My experience also tells me that most large nuggets could be found with most PI machines while the tiny ones can only be found with the latest GPZ, SDC and 6000. The biggest thing is you have to swing over it and dig your targets. Hope my opinion adds some food for thought.

I apologize for not seeing this Steveg. I have been contemplating the upgrade to the 900. Still seesawing on that. Funds are tight these days but I do have interest still. If I ever make up my mind I will be sure to hit you up. Thank you for the offer. Everything I've seen and heard about your products are top notch.

I own neither. But, as I am in the market for either one I am leaning towards the Axiom simply for the fact it has discrimination. I don't use it often but for when I find a good area of tailings piles it can make all the difference in the world to me. If the 6000 had discrimination I would probably jump on it.

Thank you pimento and chase. You’ve helped answer my question. I’ll look at those options.

Thank you, Steve. I think I can live with a small disadvantage for the price and discrimination. I’m more worried about stuff like a hillside patch I had where I picked up two nuggets with the GPX 4000 and each one was on the surface and around ten grams. For the life of me I couldn’t figure out how those were the only two. Then one day a year later I come through with the gold bug 2 and pick up 16 nuggets right next to those two. I had scoured that spot with the GPX. The nuggets ranged from half a gram to 2 grams. The ground was smoking hot and the gold bug still found them whereas the 4000 couldn’t. All were within an inch of the surface. The 2300 changed things for me as it cleaned up similarly on a few other old patches.

As someone who likes to mount their detector on a bike with occasional tight trails I like the idea of a compact shaft. From what I’ve seen the 900 isn’t enough of an upgrade for me to ditch the 800 but I’d jump on a 900 shaft for my 800. Are these compatible for the 800 and are they available separately? Thanks for anyone with the answer.

I’m taking the plunge on one of these new detectors as the old body needs something lightweight. When the SDC came out and again the GPZ, I went over old patches and pulled out ounces of nuggets that were invisible or had to be within an inch of the coil on the previous GPX 5000 and before. That spongy and wiry stuff. The Axiom is much more in line with what I want as I sometimes detect old tailings and like the option for iron disc. Plus the price is better. But, I want to be sure the Axiom hears the “invisible” stuff as well as the 6000. Can anyone of you knowledgeable and generous folks share your experience with this before I take put down the cash?

Where do you see these 10” coils in stock? I have one on order that I already paid for and a friend has one on order that is still waiting as well.

Don’t crush that beauty!! Great as a specimen or if need be that kind of finely shot gold would look good slabbed. That quartz and gold jewelry is hard to come by. I agree that kind of gold is my main reason for interest in the 6000. That or the ability to pick up 1 gram nuggets at a greater depth. I imagine there are more than 31 nuggets of a gram or less at 6 inches past the old technology sitting in old patches than one ouncers 6 inches deeper. I don’t know if that makes sense but I’d love a detector that really goes deeper on the bread and butter nuggets. One concern I have is the lack of iron discrimination. Did that specimen come from those famous Idaho tailings? I believe with no discrimination that would be a tough hunt in dredge piles. I love GPX discrimination even as imperfect as it is.

Thank you Dan and nugget. Wasn’t quite as exciting as I hoped. I’ll check back in when they take the gag off the knowledgeable testers like JP.

Is there a link or YouTube of this as I believe Miners Den has done in the past?

Thank you. I’ll give it a go. I Appreciate the response.

Is this a safe way to clean silver dimes and other old coins? I have an ultrasonic cleaner for nuggets but am scared to use it on a couple old dimes and nickel I have.

Fantastic finds. Thank you for sharing. That’s an incredible site. I have come across a few placer workings with a half dozen or so chimneys around them in the foothills and a few up in the high country. I never paid enough attention to them as I was picking nugget crumbs around the workings. Definitely need to pay more attention to the relics. Love the finds. Keep them coming.

I’m new to the equinox but I’ve been exclusively using the gold mode in my old cabin and town sites. I have picked up more nuggets than coins in the old sites haha (3-1) but it’s hard to even run the other modes because I get too many hot ground signals. And, I feel l should be digging everything that’s not iron in these sites so the gold mode seems to work well. I might be doing it wrong as I learn this machine but for now gold mode it is.

I appreciate the informed responses greatly, Tom and Chris. As a nugget hunter I have found that confidence might be the greatest asset in being successful and that’s precisely what I don’t have in detecting around these coin/relic sites. Hearing your advice helps me endure the empty streaks a little longer until I get my own confidence. When I find something good I’ll be sure to share.

Great finds! Inspiring to say the least. It sounds like you detect similar areas to myself. I’m new to the coin and relic game but have been nugget hunting for years. I just started a short while ago using my equinox 800 in some of the old camps and towns I have found over the years while patch hunting for gold. You mentioned in an earlier post you are searching around an old chimney stack. I have a site I just started detecting with 3 chimney stacks spread apart over about 1000 feet. So far I have a few buckles and buttons, straight razors, many musket balls and one seated dime from 1872. The dime was right next to the chimney stack and everything else has been spread out but mostly right where I figure the cabin or tents sat. Being new to this kind of detecting do you experienced coin hunters suggest sticking near the chimneys or do the coins tend to be any place particular? Thank you again for sharing your finds.

Thank you, Gerry. I’ll drop you a line. I have been using the 6” but definitely could use more coverage. The stock 11” picks up too much ground noise in many of my patches. I hope the 5x10 is the ticket.

I’ve used PC11 on my GPX coils to good results. It’s permanent but holds up well.