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Hello to all i was wondering if this Garett was working well on the beach???? RR

I find the speculation that the E1500 will somehow outperform detectors costing much more money to be, well, how to put this nicely… questionable at best. If this detector was GPX 6000 class it would be stupid to sell it for one quarter the price of a GPX 6000. I don’t think Alex is stupid. Here is the current price structure in Australia (U.S. prices at bottom) as of today after Garrett just introduced the lower priced stripped down Axiom package: 1. Minelab GPZ 7000 $10,499 2. Minelab GPX 6000 $8,999 with two coils 3. Minelab SDC 2300 $4,399 4. Garrett Axiom $4,399 with one coil (Axiom Lite) 5. Algoforce E1500 with Sadie & Battery $2649 6. Minelab Manticore $2499 7. Minelab Gold Monster $1299 From my use of the E1500 I think that you are going to get what you pay for. The E1500 is a very affordable option at close to the price of a top end VLF and will outperform said VLFs on gold in mineralized ground. I think the E1500 falls short of SDC 2300 and Axiom level performance, essentially being a bridge between VLF detectors and those models. The 6000 and 7000 continues to rule the roost but at twice the price of the SDC/Axiom level you are not getting twice the depth. Pulling a number out of my posterior I’d assign a very debatable expectation of about a 15% increase in overall performance at each major step up in price. People can of course argue that number all day long but I think it is very important to give newbies some sense of reality. Twice the money does not get twice the performance. Gains are more like 10% - 15% - 20%…. pick your number, but it’s not double, triple, quadruple. If I was still selling detectors I’d explain to this new customer that they can go find a gold nugget with a Gold Monster or a Manticore. I’d explain that for not much more than a Manticore they could get an AlgoForce E1500 and be able to deal with mineralized ground and hot rocks that will give the VLF models real trouble. I’d tell them that for substantially more money they could get some very solid bang for the buck in the Axiom/SDC range, a step up from E1500 but still not top tier. Finally, I’d tell them that if money is no object and they simply want the best performance they can get, to look at the 6000 or 7000. I’d comment that out of the box with provided coils the 6000 would have the edge for smaller gold, and the 7000 the edge on larger gold. Adding aftermarket coils (and more money) to the 7000 can close the gap between it and the 6000 on small gold, but nothing you do to the 6000 will have it hitting the big stuff as deep as the 7000. That would be my short and sweet sales presentation and I offer it up as the most simplified big picture no B.S. look at the scene as you are likely to find. My somewhat educated opinions only, feel free to toss in trash bin if you don’t agree. In the States this is the situation as of 2/19/2025 1. Minelab GPZ 7000 $9,499 2. Minelab GPX 6000 $6,999 with two coils 3. Minelab SDC 2300 $3,699 4. Garrett Axiom $1,999 with one coil (Axiom Lite) 5. Algoforce E1500 with no battery or coil $1650 (figure about $2000 at least once battery and coil added) 6. Minelab Manticore $1,799 7. Minelab Gold Monster $849 8. Garrett 24K $679

Well the axiom pulled through today in some conditions the gold kruzer couldn't see through. I've been detecting a small creek that is just loaded with hot rocks and mineralization. I've been able to pull some specimens off the top few inches with the gold kruzer, but today I went back over that area with the axiom. This one gave me a clear signal. It was in the water, so I don't know exactly how deep it was. It took quite some time and digging to get it out. I did test the gold kruzer on the initial target and it was not seeing anything but mineralization and hot rocks. 2 detectors are good to have in this hobby. I did a specific gravity test on this piece, and it came out to 2.31 grams. My 2nd nicest find so far. I'm still batting 💯 this year. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

The Axiom has dropped to quite a good price in Australia now Garrett Axiom Lite 11 inch Mono - Lost Treasures $4399 Australian dollars, that's about $2,795 USD, so still almost 800 USD more expensive than USA pricing but getting more competitive, probably needs to drop a bit more yet to really get some attention in an increasingly competitive PI marketplace especially in Australia which would be a tough nut to crack for any alternative brand without a compelling reason like a very attracitve price.

This is a link to a video of a Axiom running a 13 inch DD coil. I did a Factory Reset and ran the same ground balance a second time with the same results, the ground did not seem extreme, it was basically mostly Granite rock on a hillside with maybe an inch of loose soil blown on the surface. The target was on the surface and was likely a small 22 pistol size bullet half smashed. It was as if the target had been mostly Ground Balanced Out, BUT there were no other targets anywhere near by, it only acted like it did in Fine Mode. I could understand it if the ground somehow ground balanced very closed to the bullet reading, BUT it did not ground balance the same in any mode other than Fine. Bug in Fine Mode Balancing.? Odd. https://photos.app.goo.gl/5PAE8CR6fKQarSf18

Wow, I wish I had done this sooner! I got a Garrett WR-1 wireless module for my Axiom some time back, but never seemed to get around to giving it a spin. I use the external speaker most of the time, and the rare times I needed headphones I've preferred to plug in my Sun Ray Pro Gold wired phones. Not only do the Sun Ray have better audio quality than the Garrett MS-3 wireless phones included with the Axiom, but I never need to worry if they are charged. They are always in my kit ready to go. Most importantly, I like dual volume controls due to hearing loss in my right ear. I can use phones without dual controls, but prefer them when I have them. Let's call my 150 ohm Sun Ray Pro Gold as a 10 rating for audio quality. I'd rate the 8 ohm Garrett wireless MS-3 as included with the Axiom as an 8, just very good, not bad, not great. They actually are a good match for the external speaker on the Axiom, as it is hard to really say the headphones sound much different than the speaker, other than being closer to the ear and having sound exclusion properties for background noise. So again, I prefer the external speaker for most use because it has a LOT of volume. For anything else I preferred my Sun Ray Pro Gold. The only problem there is I do want to be wireless with my headphones. Being wired to the detector is a real pain, especially when I put it on the ground. Enter the Garrett WR-1 wireless module, a quite compact receiver for the proprietary Garrett Z-Lynk audio built into the Axiom. Z-Lynk is a 17ms high speed wireless option, much faster than Bluetooth, and being proprietary to Garrett, pairs instantly. Garrett even has a wireless version of their pinpointer that works seamlessly with the system - very nice! The only issue I have seen in that like many 2.4 Ghz systems the signal does not penetrate solid objects well. If you experience audio drop out with the MS-3, pay attention to the detector positioning when it is happening. Reversing the headphone on your head may help, as will setting the detector away or more ahead of you when it is on the ground. I just gave the WR-1 a test run, and I love it! I was worried that maybe the audio quality issue with the MS-3 was related to the wireless signal itself not transmitting the full audio spectrum. Luckily that is not the case. My Sun Ray Pro Gold sound every bit as good plugged into the WR-1 as they do plugged into the detector itself. This is really good news. It means you can go wireless on the Axiom with any headphone you want. I have a couple sets of wired Bose earbuds I really like for hot weather. They work great with a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter - the WR-1 is 1/4" unlike many Bluetooth wireless modules, since it was made especially for metal detector headphone options. Best of all, the volume can be controlled by the Axiom itself since the ear buds have no volume control. Just like the Sun Ray, they sound great with the WR-1, better than the MS-3. If anyone does have issues with headphone/detector positioning and audio drops with the MS-3, this eliminates that completely since you can place the receiver box anywhere. I just stick it in my pocket, but it can go anywhere you want it that the detector cord will reach. The icing on the cake is Garrett makes a WT-1 Z-Lynk transmitter than can turn any detector into a Z-Lynk compatible detector when used with the WR-1. I am ditching my slower Bluetooth transmitter box and getting a WT-1 for use with my other detectors. It's a great system, see the details here for all the various options. And yes, the Garret wireless pinpointer will pair simultaneously to the WT-1 so you get wireless audio from both the detector and the pinpointer through your headphones of choice. I'm saving the best for last. The WR-1 with USB charging cable is only $67.95 and for anyone wanting to convert other detector to Z-Lynk, the WT-1 transmitter with 1/4" adapter and USB charging cable is also only $67.95. Both can be bought together as a package with a nice carry case for $140.95 Anyway, I am totally sold on the WR-1 with my own choice of headphones as being the only way to go, and for any detector that needs it, I will use the WT-1 also. My old White's DFX just went wireless!

Don't overtighten the cam locks thinkin you're gonna get rid of a little up and down shaft wobble. I JUST SNAPPED one......

The REAL QUESTION is -- With all those years of high spending on R & D does Minelab have tech they have been keeping off the market until needed to combat new competition.? OR -- Have they basically shot their wad. WHY no upgrade for their Flagship 7000 after all these years..?

Field Test: Garrett Axiom By Bill Paxton For those of you who are frequent readers of Western and Eastern Treasures, you may recall back in December of 2021 I did a field test on the Garrett 24K Goldmaster metal detector. An excellent VLF gold machine, the 24K was Garrett’s rebranding of the White’s 24K Goldmaster and a perfect legacy choice to honor the White’s brand that they had acquired in October of 2020. Since the 24K Goldmaster was not a Garrett-developed product, I was very curious as to what Garrett had in the works for 2022. While their competitors were literally leapfrogging each other in the hobby market, Garret was curiously quiet. What were they up to I wondered? A new detector based on the Multi-Flex technology they had introduced in the Apex? Maybe a new water machine? The months ticked by. Still Garrett was quiet. Then came October 5, 2022. That was the day that Garrett revealed to the metal detecting community that their company was all in when it came to one thing. Gold. The 24K Goldmaster was a precursor of things to come. Or to be more specific, one amazing thing to come. The Garrett Axiom. A complete from the ground up redesign of pure pulse induction technology in a package unlike anything that had ever been seen before in the gold prospecting niche of our hobby. Gone were the bulky rigs that required harnesses to swing them and car-size batteries to supply power. No more annoying nobs and confusing settings. What Garrett delivered was a genuinely new and yes, I’m going to say it, exciting metal detector. The first pictures of the Axiom looked like something out of the space age. This was a detector that I wanted to try out and I’m not even a gold prospector. When Steve Moore, the Director of Marketing for Garrett, emailed me and asked if I would like to try one out I couldn’t type the word “YES!” fast enough. Let me pause here briefly and give you a bit of a spoiler alert regarding this field test. As you can tell from the introduction I’ve written above, the Axiom got me pretty revved up even before I held one in my hand. I have used it in the gold fields and at the beach and it flat out delivers. This metal detector is a game changer and I’m genuinely excited to share this field test with our loyal readers. With that being said, let’s get to the field test. The Garrett Axiom The Garrett Axiom There is a great deal to cover on the Axiom beginning with its design. As you can see from the photos, when I describe the Axiom as looking like “something out of the space age” I wasn’t kidding. I’ve used PI detectors for many years, primarily to hunt saltwater beaches because of their inherent ability to deal with high mineralization and find targets at extreme depth. They did, and do, work but at a cost. Due to their often bulky designs, they can beat you up physically. Walking on a beach for several hours with one of those beasts takes its toll and the fatigue factor inevitably shortens your hunts. The Axiom completely negates that negative aspect by its well-balanced and relatively lightweight design. It comes in at roughly 4.5 lbs. depending on the coil you select and features a lightweight internal lithium battery encased in a molded plastic case. An open flexible and very comfortable arm cuff is mounted on the rear of the detector and can be adjusted if required. The hand grip is easy to grasp and topped by a control box modeled after the Apex. A slick carbon fiber shaft that uses innovative stem clamps for adjustment connects to a variety of lightweight coils. All of this means just one thing: you can swing this detector for hours and not suffer for it in the least. One more thing. When you are transporting the Axiom, or if you wish to shrink it down to hunt in close quarters, it easily collapses to a remarkable 25”. The stem clams work as promised and save you the hassle of pushing in those annoying little spring buttons every time that you adjust the shaft. The Axiom Package The Axiom Package Garrett provides a very impressive package of accessories with the Axiom. Along with the detector and searchcoil (this can vary by the package selected), you get: Axiom Booster Pack Soft Carry Case Quick Start Guide Warranty Card USB Charging Cable Wall Charger and Adaptors A set of MS-3 Wireless Headphones with charging cable (Yes, you get Z-Lynk with the Axiom!) A small gripe is that a copy of the full owner’s manual is only available online. I really like a printed copy for reference and wish that one was included. Axiom Coils Garrett offers a large selection of coils for the Axiom: 11” X 7” Mono AND DD 13” X 11” Mono AND DD 16” X 14” Mono AND DD Okay, you are probably thinking that the above listing of DD coils for the Axiom are typos. I can assure you they are not. Yes, Garrett has chosen to offer DD coils for the Axiom. For many PI purists this may be heresy since Mono coils have been the standard for PI detectors for many years. However, I can tell you that the DD coils are a great way to go. My test unit came with a 13” X 11” DD coil, along with Mono coils in the other two sizes. Unlike the Mono coils, which are hotter on the edges, the DD coils react to a target like a typical DD coil and are hotter toward the middle of the coil. I personally loved this because I hunt 100% of the time with DD coils on my other detectors and it made for a very easy and intuitive switchover to the Axiom. In comparing it to the mono coils I found no loss in either depth or sensitivity and the DD coil is now my coil of choice. I would not discount a DD if you are looking into purchasing an Axiom. Axiom Power Okay, say this with me. “Ahhhh.” That is what you will say when you pick up an Axiom and see that there is not any bulky battery to deal with. The detector is powered by what Garrett describes as a “2X LIFE” built-in, high-capacity lithium-ion battery that will run 16 hours on a full charge. I can confirm that the battery is exceptional in terms of holding a charge. While I didn’t hunt for 16 hours straight, I did numerous back-to-back hunts totaling over 10 hours each time and the detector always had two bars remaining on the charge indicator. For those of you who just want to play it safe, a separate booster pack battery powered by 8 – AA batteries is included that will supply an additional six hours of hunting time. Axiom Display Panel When Garrett introduced its first multi-frequency metal, the Apex, it featured a brand-new control box design that users instantly embraced. I was very happy to see that Garrett chose to utilize this same design for the Axiom. The display screen features fifteen different elements in a neatly uncluttered arrangement: Signal Strength Indicator Iron Check Mode Frequency Scan Tone Audio Type Sensitivity Battery Level Speed Ground Track Backlight Wireless Headphones Ground Balance Arrows Ground Balance Indicator Ground Balance Values These display elements will be discussed in detail where relevant later in this field test. Axiom Controls Axiom Controls As with the Apex, the six controls on the display box are located in a unique, user friendly “thumb wheel” pattern below the display. All operations and adjustments to the Axiom are easily accomplished by moving your thumb from left to right in order to press the appropriate button. The controls are: 1. Power ON/OFF and Operate a. Used to turn the Axiom on and off. Pressing and holding this button for five seconds restores factory settings. This button also can be tapped to exit the MENU settings. 2. Volume Plus/Minus Buttons a. Used to increase/decrease volume. 3. Sensitivity Plus/Minus Buttons a. Used for two functions. i. To adjust the sensitivity of the detector. ii. To adjust detector settings within the Menu settings. 4. Menu/Iron Check a. Used for two functions: i. Used to access Menu settings. ii. Engaging Iron Check function by pressing and holding this button. b. Ground Balance i. Press and hold this button to ground balance the detector. 5. Threshold Plus/Minus Buttons a. Really handy to increase or decrease the threshold on the fly as opposed to have to go into some sort of annoying settings menu. 6. Ground Balance a. A “hold and bob the coil” button for ground balancing the Axiom. With all the aforementioned features and controls you might think that the Axiom is a complicated detector to run. On the contrary, Garrett really took its time in designing the Axiom to both offer many features AND be easy to operate. After spending many hours in the field with my Axiom I can attest to this. Axiom Functions and Settings Accessing the various functions and settings is extremely intuitive. · How many times have you owned a detector that needed a factory reset and you couldn’t figure out how to do it? Not with Axiom. Press and hold the Power button for five seconds. Listen for a double beep. Done. · Frequency Scan o EMI is a constant enemy a detectorist must battle so frequency scan is a must with today’s modern metal detectors. The Axiom uses a unique system to locate the quietest operating frequency. To perform a Frequency Scan, just push the menu button until FREQSCAN is highlighted, then press the plus button. The Axion scans through 100 frequencies, rechecks the best five and automatically selects the best one. All of this in 45 seconds. This worked flawlessly for me in the field. · Detection Modes o In my humble opinion this is the Axiom’s finest feature. The Axiom provides four search mode operations, each optimized for specific types of detecting. 1. Fine Mode · The preferred search mode of the Axiom, Fine Mode offers the best sensitivity to all sized targets ranging from fine gold to large items. Fine Mode can be susceptible to ground minerals, hot rocks and salt water. 2. Normal Mode · An excellent choice if noise issues are encountered when in Fine Mode. Normal mode provides good sensitivity to most targets but can be less effective on fine gold. 3. Large Mode · For use when focusing on large targets. This mode also reduces susceptibility to hot rocks and highly mineralized ground. 4. Salt Mode · Designed to allow for use of the Axiom in wet salt environments like ocean beaches. As an avid beach hunter, I was particularly interested in how this mode performed. It delivered excellent stability even in high concentrations of black sand. o Accessing the modes was a sinch. Just press the MENU button until the word “MODE” is highlighted. Then press the “PLUS” or “MINUS“ buttons to select the mode. · Volume and Threshold Adjustment o Not much to say here. Super easy to adjust with the PLUS/MINUS buttons. · Tone and Audio Options o Another area where the Axiom shines. Via the Menu button, the user can change the audio pitch and select from two different types of audio. 1. Tone Adjustment · Pushing the Menu button until TONE is selected followed by pressing the +/- buttons allows for scrolling through 100 available tone shifts. o This feature allows the operator to pick a tone that best fits their preferences or hearing ability · Only active with VCO audio (Audio 01) o Audio type 1. The Axiom has two different and very unique audio types, Audio 00 (PWM) and Audio 01 (VCO, also default). These can be accessed by pressing the Menu button followed by the +/- buttons. Both provide continuous audio that responds proportionally to a target’s signal strength allowing the operator to judge a target’s size, depth and shape. · Audio 00 (PWM) o In PWM audio, audio pitch is fixed at either high or low and only the target’s volume increases with signal strength. Preferred by users who like an active, coarse audio response. 1. Audio 01 (VCO Audio) o The preferred mode of most users (including yours truly). Target volume and audio increase proportionately with signal strength and is a real asset in locating faint targets by changes in audio pitch. o Target Signal 1. The Axiom features a Target Signal Strength Indicator at the top of the display. Utilizing a bargraph, the indicator will display high tones proportionally toward the right of center and low tones similarly toward the left of center. · Backlight o The backlight can be activated and adjusted via the Menu button by highlighting the backlight icon. o The backlight automatically activates when scrolling through the menu, a very handy feature. · Speed o A crucial adjustment for your hunting, made easy by the Axiom’s defined speeds of SLOW, MED(IUM) and FAST. This adjustment determines coil sweep speed and also target recovery speed (often referred to as “reactivity). o As with every adjustment on the Axiom, the Menu button gets you to the Speed Settings. The operator needs to pay strict attention to choosing the proper setting in order to ensure the Axiom performs at its best. 1. SLOW · While the manual suggests using the MED setting for general purpose hunting my preference was the SLOW speed. This setting was the most stable of all three and provided excellent depth and sensitivity. However, it is vital that the user sweep slowly. I always ask the question of fast sweepers “what’s your hurry?” In the case of the Axiom, go slow and you will be rewarded. 2. MED(IUM) · The default setting and a good general-purpose selection for most users. It provides good sensitivity and depth and requires a moderate sweep speed. 3. FAST · This speed boosts reactivity to increase target separation but that comes at a cost. EMI and noise chatter can increase making it more difficult to hear faint targets. · Sensitivity o Unlike most metal detectors, the Axiom offers what I would refer to as “sensitivity on steroids.’ While many metal detectors can be run hot at max sensitivity, the Axiom for the most part cannot. Prior to its release, the previous maximum sensitivity of “8” was boosted significantly to allow certain skilled operators in unique hunting situations to push performance to the maximum. The previous maximum sensitivity now is the number 4 selection. For almost all users (including this field tester), 4 provides more than enough power to obtain excellent results from the Axiom and should not be exceeded for general hunting. · Ground Balance o The Axiom features a very sophisticated ground balancing system that is covered in detail in the manual. While offering standard options like manual ground balance and ground tracking, the Axiom has taken ground balancing to another level with several innovations not previously seen on PI metal detectors: 1. Dual ground balance values displayed with both ground tracking on AND off. · This is a terrific visual reference to monitor ground conditions. 2. Ground Balance Window Feature · After ten seconds of ground balancing, the Ground Balance Window activates and allows the operator to eliminate both mineralized soil AND a hot rock. Pumping over the soil and scanning over the hot rock will eliminate both responses (or make them much smaller). · Iron Check o One of the coolest innovations included in the Axiom. Iron check, which only works with DD coils, will generate an iron “buzz” that is easily recognized. To activate this feature just hold down the Iron Check button until it double beeps. Then scan and listen to the buzz. o While this feature worked best on shallow targets, I found it to be a huge asset for both gold prospecting and beach hunting. If I had a deep, small target all I had to do was activate Iron Check and then scan the pile to see if it was iron or not. This was a real time saver and I used it a lot in my testing. · Quickstart and Owner’s Manual o A Quickstart guide is included with that Axiom. The owner’s manual, which is very well written, is only available as a downloadable pdf. · Other references. o Once again Garrett smartly brought in renowned gold hunter Steve Hershbach to host a series of “how-to” videos explaining the Axiom and its use in great detail. Steve’s easy-going manner and excellent on camera skills, combined with his in-depth knowledge of electronic prospecting, make these videos a must see for anyone contemplating the purchase of an Axiom. I found myself going back to them many times and even after learning the Axiom found they served as a huge, free database of knowledge that made me a more skilled operator of the detector. And now on to the field test… Field Test Historically PI detectors have been at their best when it comes to gold prospecting and saltwater beach hunting. These were the two areas that I focused on for my field testing. But before we get to that, let me comment on one aspect of the Axiom that deserves more than just a passing reference. What is that aspect? Its design. I don’t mean anything specific because to focus on just one feature would be unfair. This detector is flat out one of the best designed metal detectors that I have ever had the pleasure of using. The more that I use it the more I appreciate the time that Garrett put into its design. Notice I said “more that I use it.” Having been a field tester of metal detectors for over two decades I can tell you that this is not always the case. I have never tested what I would call a “bad” detector, but on occasion certain detectors take a toll on you just to use them. For example, the grip angle is wrong. Or the balance is off. Or the menus are confusing. Not with the Axiom. Its performance was excellent as you will see shortly. But what really continues to make my day is that the Axiom is just an easy and enjoyable detector to hunt with. Now let’s get to that field test. In the Gold Fields Living in Los Angeles it is difficult to prospect for gold regardless of your method. Getting to areas to look for gold that isn’t in the form of jewelry is especially difficult, although there are certain places where you might have success that are relatively nearby. However, in my mind I wanted to really prospect for gold with the Axiom so I decided to focus on a place you might have heard of: the Mojave Desert. A few hours’ drive from Los Angeles, this massive area holds many gold claims and a ton of history. Through a fellow detectorist I was able to gain access to a mining claim that was known to still be producing gold. Six buddies and I piled into two pickup trucks and we headed out to the desert to make our fortune on a clear Friday morning. Our detecting site, high up in the Mojave Desert Mountains The site we came upon was several miles up in the hills and showed clear evidence of mining activity. Tiling piles were everywhere. We parked and unloaded out detectors. FYI, I had the only pulse machine; my buddies had both multi-frequency units and VLF’s. After having studied Steve Herschbach’s videos the night before (thank you again, Steve!) I felt pretty confident in my ability to run the Axiom so off I went into the land of tailings. Getting started with the Axiom was a breeze: Power up. Adjust threshold - I preferred a barely audible threshold although at times I went with a negative value to run totally silent. In both cases good targets rang through clear and solid. Ground Balance Run Frequency Scan Pair MS-3 Wireless Headphones (optional) - Being out by myself I liked using the speaker but if noise is an issue the MS-3 Wireless Headphones are excellent. Select Detection Mode - I ran Fine Mode exclusively and was very impressed with its sensitivity to all sizes of targets. In the area I was hunting there was no need to utilize either Normal or Large Mode. Go! Over the course of the next six hours, I covered a lot of ground with the Axiom. Targets were few but when there was something there, large or small, the Axiom found it. I really liked the Iron Reject feature in that it allowed me to locate and ignore several tiny ferrous targets in the pile once they were removed from the hole. Having never prospected for gold with a metal detector for this long a period of time I was grateful for the Axiom’s user-friendly design. The main reason? Gold prospecting is hard work! The constant digging in rock hard ground with a pickaxe kicked my butt. The author working a hillside with the Garrett Axiom For those of you who aren’t PI users, there is an audio adjustment that you have to make when using a PI in order to recognize targets. I would strongly urge you to test targets at home before going out in the field. Thankfully I did this and therefore was able for the most part to locate targets easily. Using the DD coil really helped and I was able to use my VLF skills to center and pinpoint targets with very little difficulty. The Axiom found targets of various sizes that included shell casings, bullets, wire, iron junk (ID’d easily by Iron Reject when in the pile), everything but gold. As those of you who prospect for gold know all too well, gold is tough to find and on this day I did not come home with any. The Axiom will find even the tiniest piece of gold as was evidenced by several microscopic bits of wire that hit hard with good, solid repeatable signals. The Axiom was sensitive to both large and very small targets in the heavily worked area. The irony of the day was that one of our party did find gold and he was the only guy who did not use a metal detector. He filled up two large buckets with dirt to take home and pan out and yes, he had gold in his pan when he was all finished. At the Ocean Beach As an avid beach hunter living in Southern California I was really anxious to see how the Axiom performed in a salt environment. Until the advent of multi-frequency detectors, PI’s ruled when it came to depth and performance at ocean beaches. Nowadays you don’t see a lot of PI’s at the beach but they do still have their place when the mineralization is high and causes problems for conventional detectors. There are still PI purists who will argue that a PI can beat any detector for pure depth and they may be right. I had no intention of reopening that debate. All I wanted to do was see if the Axiom could serve as a beach hunting detector. The Axiom was rock solid at ocean beaches and delivered exceptional depth on targets. A long-buried silver ring with an onyx stone was found with the Axiom after a recent storm. The verdict: yes, it can. Thanks to the SALT mode, a beach hunter can easily navigate “the wet” as we call it and punch right through troublesome black sand. In my hunts at the beach I was very pleased with how smoothly the Axiom ran. I could push the sensitivity up to “6” before I had to deal with any falsing. Targets were recovered at impressive depths of well over a foot. Being a PI, some of these were deep garbage but others were coins. That is the compromise you make when hunting with a PI. My best find was a very old, large silver ring, found at a depth of about 6” in a pocket of black sand. The Axiom hit it with no problem. I might add that the Axiom’s relatively light weight and excellent ergonomics made for easy, fatigue-free hunting, something that I have not found to be true of other bulky PI’s that I have used in the past. Another type of beach gold hunting is one that few detectorists explore, that being microgold hunting. For those of you who aren’t familiar with micro-gold hunting, it involves searching for those tiny pieces of gold that VLF metal detectors can’t find. Items like earring backs, thin chains, gold fillings, etc. Gold detectors can be used with good success when searching for microgold due to their ability to find tiny pieces of gold. This type of hunting must be done on the dry since the salt content of the wet sand will wreak havoc with these types of detectors. It requires a great deal of patience since the dry sand holds many types of small bits of metal that conventional VLF’s will not find. It is not for everyone. However, if you elect to try this type of hunting then the Axiom is a superb choice thanks to its FINE MODE. Be sure to bring your Garrett Pinpointer along because you will need it. The Axiom will hit on microscopic pieces of metal like aluminum that you will not see easily with the naked eye. I did a several hour microgold hunt at a local ocean beach and was amazed at how many small targets the Axiom located. If it had been my lucky day, I’m certain some of them would have been gold. Summary, Due to unforeseen circumstances that I will get to in a moment, I was able to spend a much longer period of time using the Axiom than normal. While its gold prospecting abilities have been well documented by many users since its release, there has not been as much focus on the detector as a general use machine, in particular at saltwater beaches where PI’s historically have always performed well. Being a beach hunter, these extra few months gave me multiple opportunities to use the Axion “in the salt” as the saying goes. Generally, I have avoided using a PI as my go-to beach detector because they can be a pain in the neck to use due to their weight, confusing adjustments (for me at least) and the requirement that you have to dig too much garbage. Not that I haven’t tried almost all of them and really tried to love them, or at least like them. The Axiom changed that for me. It is the first PI that I have ever used that was fun to hunt with and performed and felt like a normal metal detector to me. Each time I used it I came to appreciate its brilliantly designed. As a gold prospecting PI I don’t think you can match its performance and value. For saltwater beaches I found it to be a match for any detector that I encountered during my hunts, including all of the latest and greatest multi-frequency machines. If you are looking for a powerhouse saltwater beach detector don’t write of the Axiom as being just a gold prospecting detector. It is a whole lot more. I cannot recommend it more highly as a multi-use metal detector. You can learn more about the Axiom here: https://garrett.com/sport/axiom. Now let’s get to those unforeseen circumstances. This field test was requested by Garrett Electronics and was slated to be published in the January 2023 issue of Western and Eastern Treasures Magazine. I was due to deliver it for publication when the news was released that the magazine was closing its doors for good at the end of 2022. Despite all the work I had put into testing the Axiom and writing up my field test article, it just didn’t seem right for me to keep the unit. I contacted Steve Moore, Director of Marketing for Garrett Electronics, to arrange for the return of the Axiom. To my pleasant surprise, Steve insisted that I hold on to the Axiom and finish my field test in the hope we could find another method of publishing it. Enter Steve Herschbach of DetectorProspector.com Steve said he would gladly publish this field test. He also added that it would be an honor to have it be the last field test written for Western and Eastern Treasures Magazine. To say I was flattered would be an understatement. With that being said, I hope you enjoy this field test of the Garrett Axiom, the last field test written for Western and Eastern Treasures Magazine.

GARRETT Sport Division Update: January 2, 2025 AXIOM / AXIOM LITE PRICING UPDATE Garrett's best pulse induction gold prospecting detector is now more attractive than ever! Effective immediately, both the Axiom and Axiom Life detector packages have reduced MSRP and MAP for 2025. The Axiom Lite, introduced in 2024, has become a solid favorite. The full Axiom package includes a second searchcoil, MS-3 wireless headphones, Axiom power pack, and additional charging cables. See details on each product number below: Axiom Lite PN: 1142710 Garrett MSRP: $3,529.99 $2,299.99 NEW MAP pricing: $2,999.99 $1,999.00 NEW Includes Garrett Axiom detector, soft carry bag, 11" mono searchcoil, and coil cover. Axiom Wireless Package PN: 1142720 Garrett MSRP: $4,700.00 $3,499.99 NEW MAP pricing: $3,995.00 $2,999.99 NEW Includes Garrett Axiom detector, MS-3 Z-Lynk wireless headphones, soft carry bag, Axiom AA power pack, 13" DD searchcoil, 11" mono searchcoil, coil covers, wall chargers with adaptors, and 12V cables/adaptors. Choose Axiom or Axiom Lite. Either choice will help your customers make a successful start prospecting without breaking the bank. Revised dealer/ distributor costs are effective with all new orders placed in 2025. If you prefer a different searchcoil combination for your market, please reach out to me. Best Regards, Bob Richardson (Director of US Sales)

As well as any PI discrimination - anyone expecting VLF type discrimination will be disappointed. PI discrimination no matter how you do it is pretty poor with lots of good judgement necessary by the user. When in doubt, dig it out. But light years better than the 6000 in that regard. I get it. Minelab is saying that PI disc sucks, so forcing the issue by not offering the option at all. There is no doubt we should dig all targets. But I think there is also no doubt many of us still cherry pick when faced with too many targets, most being nails. We simply dig what sounds good. If that is indeed our reality, and I think it is for most of us, then having all the disc ability possible for use is a good thing, and so I welcome the Garrett Iron Check feature as just that. Another way of double checking targets in trashy areas. But do not fall into a bad habit of leaning on it a lot all the time. The more naturally occurring iron ground mineral you have, the more risk the system gets fooled, to the point where in heavy magnetite I'd say it's more likely to be fooled than not. The disc is better for coin and relic hunters in one way. If the system tricks me in bad ground and I miss a nice gold nugget, that is a pretty big deal. If I am relic hunting, and it makes me miss a bullet or two, but gets rid of most ferrous, well, that seems more acceptable deal to me at least. Though the relics hunters may beg to differ! If you want to be conservative and use the Iron Check in the safest way, consider using it as a reverse disc system. In other words, many of us get pretty good at picking and choosing targets with a pulse induction detector. Most gold tends to give sweeter high/low tones. Most low/high tones are larger junk (or larger gold nuggets). So people like myself will sometimes focus more on high/low tones and ignore the low/high as nails. But the low/high can be the largest nuggets! So think about this. You are in a nail pit and decide at some point to skip the low/high as being trash targets. OK, so far, that's normal. But now, go ahead and use the Iron Check to verify this. If it gives a consistent iron grunt on a low/high target, it is almost sure to actually be ferrous. If it does not give the grunt or seems unsure, maybe you better dig that one after all. The Iron Check has limitations, first being it does not work at all on the deepest targets. The tones do, but Iron Check only works at 2/3 or half of the full depth. The deepest nails are not going to Iron Grunt. However, a lot of nails are shallower, so this offers a middle ground. Instead of ignoring low/high signals, only ignore low/high signals that also have a solid Iron Grunt. This double check verification is a much less risky strategy. Yes, it does mean you will dig the deeper nails. Sorry, but you can also with good accuracy eliminate all those much more common nails that are just below the surface. Consider also that a deep low/high is not going to be a small nugget; if it's gold, it might just be the biggest nugget you ever dig in your life. You are looking for a trophy nugget in a nail pit, this might help you better your odds. What I am saying here is to use the iron check to make you dig targets you might have otherwise passed on - reverse discrimination. Now what about the small nuggets, the high/low tones, that by nature will be shallower targets? And small ferrous trash, that sounds the same? The ferrous check is also great for small ferrous in milder soils. But again, if in heavy magnetite, be less trustful. Look for reasons to dig, not reasons to skip targets. If the iron grunt is indecisive at all, dig it! When in doubt, dig it out!! A good super magnet on your pick head is a more accurate and very efficient way of dealing with the shallower smaller stuff. A reminder - the Iron Check only works with the Garrett DD coils. Another reason to consider the 11" DD over the 11" mono for hunting the trashy sites.

First three of five videos, last two will be added as soon as they are live. California Gold Nuggets! - Part 1 of 5 By Dan Hurd (Dan Hurd Prospecting) Dec 13, 2024 “I have been invited as one of the contestants in the Garrett Gold Nugget Shootout. A metal detecting competition in the California Mother load. Finding amazing gold nuggets and specimens on the AWESOME claim. This first day is before the official competition starts and today we will be tuning in our detectors and seeing what we can find off the official competition grounds.” California Gold Nuggets! Video 2 of 5 By Dan Hurd (Dan Hurd Prospecting) Dec 14, 2024 “And the competition begins! after a day of tuning in our detectors we are set free on the most amazing gold claim I have ever been on. Nuggets EVERYWHERE! We had so much fun detecting, finding nuggets and hanging out with AWESOME people. Today I found probably the best piece of gold I have ever found. Check it out!” The Biggest California Gold Nugget! We have a winner! - Part 3 of 5 By Dan Hurd (Dan Hurd Prospecting) Dec 15, 2024 “We have a WINNER! Day two of the actual Garrett gold nugget shootout metal detecting competition was only a 1/2 day of detecting before Freddy Dodge the judge decided who had the most amazing find of the weekend. Can you guess who won? Nope not me I cam in 3rd. But I did find the best piece of gold I have ever found! And my best find of the weekend was the AWESOME people and a bunch of new friends.” More to come

I've posted this data to TreasureNet also. I've been performing some detector depth tests in my back yard using some PVC tubes angled into the ground. My goal was to compare and attempt to understand the differences between different detector types, coils, settings, target responses, etc. The results are entirely subjective and relative to my test range, test approach and operating ability. I've attempted to conduct the tests in the same way each time with each detector, coil or program change. The data is showing some trends that more-or-less make sense. Some of the data is suspect and may need a retest. The test description, target descriptions, detector settings etc are shown at the bottom of the data. The test data is a work-in-progress. I plan to soon add XP Deus 2 13"x11" coil data. Any comments, suggestions or ideas will be most welcome. Ed near Tucson.

I've been reading the forum for a bit. I've decided on purchasing an Axiom as my first PI machine. I've read the Axiom forum and ergonomics is important to me. It seems like a good first PI with an intuitive menu. I do have a few questions? is the control and battery compartment water resistant? Will it withstand rain? Does the axiom come with wireless headphones or do I need to purchase the Z link separately?

If I was to use the axiom mainly at the Gold Basin, what configuration do you recommend I purchase, the 13"x11" Mono Coil, with the 11"x7" DD Coil or the 13"x11" DD Coil, and 11"x7" Mono Coil? Thank you. Mike

Will a PI get better depth than a VLF in low mineral ground? Garrett Axiom, GPX 4500, Minelab Manticore, XP Deus 2. Forum member abenson via his Relics & Rings YouTube channel.... And another, PI vs VLF Buried Gold Nugget from .011 to 2.7 grams featuring Garrett Axiom, XP Deus 2, Minelab Manticore, GPX 6000….

I coach high school boys and girls golf and when the Fall season is over I like to celebrate by going to a couple of high altitude sites in the Colorado central Rockies that have been a fun place to go in the past at this time of year. I started out with the Garrett Axiom at a gold prospecting site. It had been several months since I had used the Axiom for other than testing. What a super nice, easy to use and easy to swing pulse induction detector. The site I hunted is really trashy so I wasn't expecting much in the way of gold. Just too many targets and too little time. So finding no gold was not a big deal. The targets on the left side of the photo were found with the Axiom. I was running the 11X7" Mono coil in Fine/Slow. Sensitivity 4 was too noisy, but sensitivity 3 was outstanding. Plenty of really small targets around 0.10 gram were found. This area is full of green mantle type hot rocks and magnetite. The Axiom handled the magnetite fairly well and also only sounded off with characteristic longer wailing type responses on those hot rocks. Extremely hot ground. I did fire up the Manticore with the M8 coil and Steve G's non conductive shaft at that site for a few minutes to test it. Absolutely no issues with the coil detecting the shaft. Thanks Steve G.!!!!! I then went to an 1870s relic site not too far away to run the Manticore with M8 coil and Steve G. shaft on some similar hot ground that is also full of square nails, rusted tin and lots of other rusted iron artifacts. I have hunted this site with Deus 2, the Legend and the Equinox 800. Iron falsing has always been an issue and I know I am going to dig some iron. I basically feel lucky if I can find anything that isn't ferrous at this site. I was in a 3 hour time crunch so I just ran the Manticore in 5 tone All Terrain General, sensitivity 23 which is where ground noise stopped being an issue, and bumped the recovery speed up to 6 and hunted with iron responses accepted. I didn't adjust anything else. 2 tones are what I have used in the past with other detectors and most people would recommend that. Yeah, it was a cacophony and very mentally taxing but I think I did OK. At least I had some idea about the conductivity. There are lots of tiny to small pieces of flat lead lying all over this site about as thick as a modern paper plate which can read from 05 up into the 30s depending on size. I could have disced them out but I wanted to hunt wide open since this really is a machine gun rapid fire, thick carpet of targets from surface to 6" deep site. None of the non-ferrous targets that are in the photo were clean hits. They all had ferrous contaminated audio responses even though none were deeper than 6". The Manticore with M8 coil was awesome not only for target separation and for hot ground handling but also for navigating around the small boulders, gnarly sage bushes and young aspen trees that cover this site. Bigger coils, even 9" coils just can't handle this place. The targets in the center and right side of the photo are from the 1870s relic site and are just the ones I kept. I left many, many other dug ferrous targets at the site. Yes, those are US Seated Quarters.

For those of you that have had the chance to run both, how would you compare them for gold ?

This goes back to July 5th. There are so many teething problems to take care of at the house it has been difficult to get out and swing- but that will change, I swear it....So I arrive at this beach early to beat the surfer boys to the free parking spots. This stretch of sand is never crowded; it's more of a wildcard play. I decided to veer left down low at a nice minus tide, which yielded nada for a half mile walk. On the return trip, I went high slope to mid slope (still on the minus tide) when the targets started showing up. Many of the targets were coins, which I thought was a good sign, so I did a tight grid not missing an inch of sand. The "patch" ended being only about 15' x 5' in size, with absolutely nothing showing on either end. One of the last targets dug ended up being the 14K 10 gram white gold band. It's nice to find a heavy bomber now and again. I figure the high tide grabbed stuff off the towel line, dragged it all down and deposited most of the items in the grouping that I came upon. As luck would have it, somebody beat me to this area and gridded a large space not more than 20 feet from where my little patch began. Missed it by that much......my magic wand on this trip was the Axiom with the 11 x 7 DD, salt mode, sensitivity=5, threshold @ -7.... -Jerry

I have seen rumors of some third party coils for the Axiom, But are any really available now.? If so how do they compare to what the factory selection is.?

I've got a lot of clad coins I was going to cash in. Coinstar has no fee if you put the coins into a gift card. Anyone know of a seller that sells coils on Amazon? I've looked but only see full machines.

I like to be prepared when I go into the field. I always carry extra coil bolts and washers. Does anyone have a link to where these can be purchased? Trying to look them up all I can find are Garrett AT series bolts and washers.

So I don't know if it's possible but maybe someone can answer this...? nobody seems to be wanting to make aftermarket coils for the axiom and I had the idea if one could just make a lead to allow the plug in of the wide variety of gpx coils? I know the shaft would also need to be modded but that would be the easy part. Kinda just like the lead for x coils to gpz but no chip, but maybe the wiring is way different I don't know. Just thought I'd throw it out there

I took it out for the second time today to do a little day trip. I'm liking the Bogenes program. I can't believe how small some of the bits of rusty iron are. Head of a pin size. I have no doubt the Axiom will find tiny tiny gold running Bogenes. As for today I managed two pickers.