Hunting Gold Nuggets Using Manticore (pics Of Success) And What Coil Will Be Best?

[Gerry in Idaho]

On 9/8/2023 at 11:05 AM, DigDeep said:

I’ve tried my Manticore several times and finding it a bit frustrating as well. 
I’ve been using SD, GP and several GPX’s for a long time. I love them and no complaints.  I’ve found a lot of gold with them but it’s getting harder to find nuggets in my local areas that are relatively trash free, at least what I can tolerate lol. I know there’s still good gold to be found in the trashy areas so I bought a Manticore hoping it would discriminate well enough to make it tolerable. So far I’m not having much luck. 
I set up the discrimination pattern and ferrous limits to pretty much give a window of just gold. I tested it over a couple dozen nuggets of various size that I have and they fall into this window. But in the field it’s still getting a ton of steel and other junk. At least usually until I got it out of the hole and the coil sitting right on it then it goes quiet and finally figured out it’s ferrous or out of range.  

-recovery speed 3 is what seems to work the best. 

I’m honestly quite disappointed with the depth as well on nuggets. 
My 5000 with a 12” NF EVO is quite a bit more sensitive in every aspect. 
 

Do you have any suggestions or tweaks I can do to help it out?

The Manticore is a quite capable detector in trashy areas and can be much better than the other PI machines you mentioned.  But I won't compare them for depth since Manticore falls into the VLF category.  I've recovered gold at 12" and trash at 16" so know it has great depth for a VLF class machine.

If you did not come from an Equinox and the Manti is your 1st VLF type machine, you have quite a learning curve ahead of you.  Keep playing with the Settings and using it.  Be sure to also bury some of your desired targets in the soils you wish to swing.  Trash in old mining areas is your friend when using the Manticore.

Are you looking for solid nuggets or the invisible gold (specimens & wire gold)?  The reason I ask, is the SD's, GP's and almost all the GPX series (minus the new GPX-6000 and Axiom) miss a lot of gold the Manticore sees.  I'm assuming you are looking for the solid stuff?  If your test pieces are solid nuggets, I recommend purchasing some specimen gold and run some tests with them as well.  You'll see right away some pieces hit extremely well with Manticore and your old PI's either won't see/hear or nearly not as deep.

Those areas you have had success with the older machines and there's trash still in there, I most certainly recommend the Manti in there.  Many people tell me they have no such kind of gold in their area. Well if your detector can't see it, then you are not finding it.  Sure I hunt a few areas with no specimens and invisible gold, but I also do really well in areas I used to hunt with old PI's and found plenty gold, but thought there was no specimens because back then I wasn't finding them.  Fact is, as I learned more about detectors and their capabilities I started finding more with the VLF and improved newer PI's.

As for your GAIN at 27?  I can't get much higher than 22/23 with my Manticore in nonmineralized soils (less in mineralized grounds) and wonder why so high?  I run wide open on the Horseshoe and always turn up the Threshold.

Which Audio Mode under Prospect are you swinging?  If you don't know, then you are not playing with the detector enough.  That's ok, because you are still asking questions.  The best thing for so many people when on a new detector, is to take it out in the field and sit down with plenty of time and play with it and the targets you desire to find, in the soils you want to hunt.  Sure it cuts into your detecting time, but the knowledge gained will pay you dividends in the long run.  You know enough (said you had great success with older PI's) to realize, the gold hunt is very time consuming, but at the same time, it's also quite rewarding when the metal shines at the bottom on your hole.

[Ridge Runner]

Gerry  

 Would you say with all the settings the Manticore has to offer and you had the 8 X 5.5 it would out perform the Gold Monster 1000 running at 45 Kh? I know the Monster is somewhat a simple machine as in most would say a turn on and go machine. Bill Southern has a great video on it and watching it one time would give you a head start in nugget hunting .

 I’m just wondering if it’s really worth paying the difference if all you had planned on using it for was nugget hunting. It already comes with two small coils that’s ideal for nugget hunting.

 My reasoning for asking this question is I’m thinking about getting a VLF detector for nugget hunting and I don’t have the need for another coin machine. Another thing is bye the time you get that small coil for the Manticore you in almost twice the price of the 1000. That’s give are take a dollar are two.

 If anyone can answer my question would be you and a honest one at that.

 Chuck 

 PS Maybe try Nome Alaska one more time.They got something like a bed and breakfast I want to try.hahaI 

[Gold Ryder]

Man Im struggling to get depth out of the Manti.  Granted I have barely used it. But today I ran it for about an hour on some old tailing piles. Pulled a shallow piece of lead probably 3-4 grams. So I decided to re bury it and test the machine. I put it about 6 inches down. And reburied it. I was in prospector mode recovery speed 4 and 17 on sensitivity.    It made not a peep.  Reese and I air tested it on a nugget this summer as well on a 1/2 grammer and the coil lost it at 3 inches. Im perplexed. 

[Gerry in Idaho]

On 9/10/2023 at 9:45 PM, Ridge Runner said:

Gerry  

 Would you say with all the settings the Manticore has to offer and you had the 8 X 5.5 it would out perform the Gold Monster 1000 running at 45 Kh? I know the Monster is somewhat a simple machine as in most would say a turn on and go machine. Bill Southern has a great video on it and watching it one time would give you a head start in nugget hunting .

 I’m just wondering if it’s really worth paying the difference if all you had planned on using it for was nugget hunting. It already comes with two small coils that’s ideal for nugget hunting.

 My reasoning for asking this question is I’m thinking about getting a VLF detector for nugget hunting and I don’t have the need for another coin machine. Another thing is bye the time you get that small coil for the Manticore you in almost twice the price of the 1000. That’s give are take a dollar are two.

 If anyone can answer my question would be you and a honest one at that.

 Chuck 

 PS Maybe try Nome Alaska one more time.They got something like a bed and breakfast I want to try.hahaI 

I'll take an Equinox 800, or improved 900 and or Manticore over a GM-1000 every day of the week and on weekend.  Now that's me "Gerry" who also detects in water for gold rings, also detects for old coins/relics and also hunts for gold in trashy area.  As you mentioned, just for gold and value, I feel an EQ-800 with free small coil (right now during promo) for $900 is best value and it can do more for gold than a Monster.  My 2nd choice would be the new improved EQ-900 as it comes with both coils for $1100.  Then 3rd would be a GM-1000 for $950 as it also comes with both coils.

If a person who does not go nugget hunting enough to understand proper Ground Balance Techniques and running a detector as hot as possible (when conditions allow), and not care about a Threshold, then most certainly the GM-1000 or Garrett 24K would be in the cross hairs.

For me, I've probably put close to 100 hrs on the Manticore for gold prospecting and the more I use/play/test with it, the better my results are starting to show.  I was not on board at 1st, but just like any new machine, it takes time/testing/patience.  Heck I can remember when the GM-1000 came out, I hated it...and same with an old school Gold Bug-2.

I think the biggest problem for many folks getting into the nugget hunting, is if you come from a PI to a VLF, it's a whole new ball game you need to learn/master.  Most folks don't want to take the time, don't like hearing the mineralized ground and hat chasing Hot Rocks.  I've detected with VLF long enough, those weaknesses don't both me as I see the benefits of the VLF.

Alaska- It's your dream Chuck, so go do it. Time is running out on us all, and it's time to get out and make memories my friend.  Don't forget the bug spray.

[Ridge Runner]

Gerry one thing I knew you would tell it like it is and I thank you.

 I didn’t never think I’d have a loss for words but I guess I am this time.

 Chuck