GPX 5000 Or 6000 On 2 Gram Nugget?

[Detecting with CM]

Quick Question: Would you rather use a 6000 with the 13'' by 17'' coil or the 5000 with a 13'' by 17'' evo coil on a two gram nugget? That's the average size of nuggets here. And how much would a 15'' evo coil give me over that?

[phrunt]

Are the nuggets porous, specimen type nuggets or solid chunks? 

[Detecting with CM]

The majority of gold here is solid, but there's some specimen and porous gold occasionally. 

[ChuckScrivener]

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.

[phrunt]

These are my views on the two detectors, and it sounds like either detector will do the job for you, and if you wanted to chase the smaller stuff you can get reasonable results by putting a smaller coil on the 5000, I would think they'll get similar depths, or near enough to anyway on 2-gram solid bits and the 5000's a whole lot cheaper so if that's a factor in the decision.   The 5000 also handles hot rocks and some bad ground better, significantly better with hot rocks.  The 6000 handles EMI better.  The 6000 is much more sensitive to smaller gold, lighter, easier to use and in most ways better.  If money is no object the 7000 would be worth looking into as when it comes to depth, it's the best.

Now, the disclaimer, the 5000 misses some gold that the 6000 does not, due to the makeup of the gold, which is why my first question was to do with the composition of the gold as it can be weak on some gold especially specimen porous type gold, it may not hit it at all or just be weak on it when the 6000 hits it perfectly.  .

I agree with Chuck above, the little gold usually outnumbers the bigger bits and if the right detector is used that ground may light up with smaller deeper bits and this is where the 6000 and 7000 excel.

[klunker]

16 hours ago, Detecting with CM said:

Quick Question:

Quick answer; 5000.

[Rob Allison]

This is a great question, so I will chime in.  The GPX 5000 is very versatile in a lot of different areas with the 8 soil timings and hundreds of other combo with settings.  The GPX 5000 also has the option of using much more coil sizes and manufactures than the GPX 6000 currently.  There are also signal enhancers, SteelPhase, headphones, external speakers and other options available that are not right now for the GPX 6000. 

I personally used the GPX 5000 for about 8 years before parting with it and upgrading to the GPZ 7000.  I was very skeptical at first, as I had a lot of success with the GPX 5000.  The GPX 5000 in my option is still one of the best gold detectors available, but only the ones that are really going to spend the time learning the settings, timings and such will benefit the most in my opinion.  

The new GPX 6000 is impressive, very lightweight, super easy to use, battery attaches to unit (no power cord and external battery) and it's super sensitive to small gold and specimens, better than the GPX 5000.  That all being said, I have noticed more ground noise & EMI with the GPX 6000 over the GPX 5000, but I'm sure it has to do with the technology and having hyper-sensitivity. 

I have had friends purchase a GPX 6000 and go back to the GPX 5000 recently, while a good portion of others love the GPX 6000 and will never part with it.  

Neither detector, unless buried at extremely depths are going to miss Gram sized gold.  The GPX 6000 is able to find stuff under a grain in size (480 grains/ounce) on the surface or bedrock, while the GPX 5000 realistically is like 2-3 grains (still super small).  

You really have to evaluate what exactly you want to do and what options are available now for the detector you want.  Also, your budget is part of it, as the GPX 6000 has increased to $6499, while the GPX 5000's are discontinued and unable to purchase new.  You can pick up used GPX 5000's anywhere from about $2000-$3000 depending on condition and access/coils included. 

Hope this helps a bit,

Rob

 

[phrunt]

I'm surprised you're saying the 5000 is discontinued Rob, this doesn't appear the case in Australia where the price on it has just gone up and now they only include 1 coil in the new package.

Still for sale at the dealers in Oz too.  Minelab GPX 5000 Metal Detector -11" Mono Coil + 15" Mono Coil Bundle (minersden.com.au)

And listed on their website as a current model. GPX 5000 - Metal Detector (minelab.com)

They would be nuts to discontinue it at the moment, as they have no replacement for it, no other PI with discrimination, with the settings it has to allow it to work in ground other detectors they sell can't.   With competitors now flaring up with their PI's it's a bad time to discontinue it until they have another model on the market themselves to take its place.  The 6000 doesn't replace the 5000, very different detectors, and I think the 6000 should not have been called a GPX and been a new model name leaving them room to release an updated 5000 model that is from the GPX pedigree.

[Detecting with CM]

I own a GPX 6000, but if I were to get a GPX 5000, what coils should I get so as to pull away from the 6000 on two to five gram nuggets? 

[PhaseTech]

If it's solid gold, on a 2 gram nugget, my money would be on the 5000. Especially with a 17x13" coil. 

If it's specimen or reefy gold, the 6000 would beat the pants off the 5000.