15" Coil For The Manticore

[KDX]

I don't hunt in the water and mainly hunt for coins etc on land and on the odd beach. For those of you who have bought/used the 15" coil, is it worth the price/upgrade over the stock 11" coil? Around here it's something like $450.00, which is a few bucks.

[Airtemisa]

For me, beach hunter, it's a great addition. Deeper, better coverage, and great for big mass, like big rings. Very useful for my hunt style

[TampaBayBrad]

My experience is that I use it in the water, not the land. (I know, you'd think I'd use a smaller coil in the water for less drag, right?) Let me qualify that by saying I use a tall boy stork leg shaft which is about 4"-5" longer than the fully extended stock Manticore shaft even though I'm only 5' 10". I wanted the WIDE swing path with the wide coil. The combination of the heavier coil on a longer shaft makes my arm tired after about an hour and a half of continuous swinging land use because of it being nose heavy with that set up. However, due to water buoyancy, I can hunt with it for 6 hours in the water and not get arm fatigue.

I wish I could tell you how it affects me with the stock shaft, but I never tried it because I bought the stork leg and the coil at the same time to use as a pair. I use the stock shaft fully extended on land with the 11" coil for 6 hours with no fatigue. If you don't fully extend the stock shaft to the red lines like I do, you may not have any worries using the 15" on land.

As far as "is it worth it?".....yes, I think so due to the added coverage. It dang sure hits on deep dimes or any other deep coin for that matter. If you hunt unobstructed open areas often where you don't have to worry about running the coil into things during your swing, I would give her a shot.

[Tony]

The 15" coil is all I use on the beach, but I use a DIY counterweight on the end of the upper shaft. I like to hunt 6 hours or more and the stock setup is too nose heavy with the 15" coil. I don't have the best shoulders, so for me, a balanced setup is a must.

Any of the Manticore coils aren't cheap but I guess Minelab price them relative to the cost of the detector......annoying to say the least as the Manticore coils probably cost just a bit more to produce than "cheaper" coils for the Equinox, X-terra Pro, etc.

Minelab know that we will pay the price of admission.....and we do (begrudgingly).

[TampaBayBrad]

9 hours ago, Tony said:

but I use a DIY counterweight on the end of the upper shaft.

I was thinking of trying that myself to see if I could use the M15 on my longer shaft for 6 hours of sand hunting in the winter when the water is too cold or too rough. Was thinking of tying a fishing sinker under the cuff or even out at the end of the shaft. Glad it works for you.

[UT Dave]

I'm a mostly park dirt jewelry and coin, old site relic hunter.  The M-15 is the least used of the three Manticore coils for me.  But, in the situations it is called for, it's pretty sweet.  I use it mostly for parks that aren't too trashy.  Easy turf contact swinging with great coverage.  For me, in my dirt, I can't really say I've seen a depth increase over the M-11.  Maybe, just a tiny bit, maybe.  But the coverage is awesome.  It pinpoints surprisingly well, which for me in a park setting is important too.

Like I say, the least used of the three, for me.  But, glad I have it when I want to use it.

Recent three silver park hunt with the M-15.

 

And it is also surprisingly sensitive to smaller bits.  This is a tiny .25 gram 14k charm I found the next day after the three silvers, in the same park.

 

- Dave

[KDX]

Thanks for the replys gentlemen. I appreciate it.

[Skate]

I have all 3 of the coils. Each has it's place. Withe M8 you have to slow you roll so you can cover everything. The 15" is like swinging a garbage can lid in terms of coverage and on my beaches it's deep like a PI. 

If you're dating the manticore you can get away with just having the 11". If you're getting married to the Manticore you will regret not having the 15".