Monthly Archives: July 2016

Garrett Sea Hunter Mark II Underwater Detector: Patented Technology and Highly Accurate!

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Garrett Sea Hunter Mark II Metal Detector being used in the ocean.

Garrett Sea Hunter Mark II Metal Detector

Owners of the Garrett Sea Hunter Mark II Metal Detector give it a remarkable 5-star-rating! The Sea Hunter Mark II is a Pulse Induction detector that delivers precision when snorkeling, scuba diving or beach hunting for treasure. This model is fully submersible to 200 feet. To handle salt water conditions, Garrett designed the Sea Hunter Mark II with its patented “Discrete Trash Elimination Mode.” This feature eliminates junk targets, while notching in gold with similar frequencies. This is a huge time-saver for serious underwater hobbyists!

Underwater Metal Detector Features

The Sea Hunter Mark II offers several elite features including 3 search  modes, sensitivity/depth adjustment, adjustable Audio Threshold and submersible headphones. Reviewer Randy K. says, “With the Sea Hunter Mark II, I have found a $20k diamond ring along with tons of other jewelry- as deep as 2½ feet down.” Satisfaction is guaranteed with Garrett’s Sea Hunter Mark II!

How to Choose a Metal Detector “On the Fly”

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There are TONS of articles about which metal detector is the best, as well as how to select the right model for you. But, not everyone has time to spend hours researching manufacturers and models. People often come to us for quick selection advice. It’s sort of like Cliffs Notes (a brief explanation of long text). Reasons you may need to pick out a metal detector quickly are:

  • Want to try out the hobby before spending a lot of money
  • It’s a gift for a quickly approaching birthday
  • Want a beginner’s detector for upcoming vacation
  • Need a simple kid’s detector
  • Time-crunched and want to make a quick decision

If this describes one of the reasons you’re in a hurry, and need a metal detector fast—here are some basic guidelines to follow.

Price Categories at a Glance

Here are our Top Picks for Metal Detectors in the $100 – $200 Price Range:

Fisher F11 Metal Detector

Fisher F11 Metal Detector

If you are curious about metal detecting, but don’t want to spend much at first, this may be a good category to start with. Also, if this is a detector that your kids will use or it’s a gift for a child—this price range is right on. You will find coins even with inexpensive detectors; and well-known manufacturers certainly make decent detectors in the entry-level price range. These models work well for beginners, but they generally don’t get high marks for  discrimination ability and durability. Bounty Hunter is a manufacturer that is known for low, affordable prices. MetalDetector.com carries 7 quality Bounty Hunter models that are under $200! Their claim to fame: “Bounty Hunter gives you top quality metal detectors at the best price! Affordable and easy to use, Bounty Hunter brand metal detectors are your perfect choice for beginners, kids and anyone who simply enjoys the hobby. You’ll be uncovering gold and other precious metals in no time!”

Here are our Top Picks for Metal Detectors Under $200:

$200 – $399 Price Range- Top Detector Choices

If you are serious about detecting, get a metal detector in this price range. Better quality models will start around $200. In the $200 to $399 price range, you can count on excellent iron discrimination, accurate target ID and rugged design for longer hours of detecting. Many of these detectors feature water-resistant search coils for hunting along the shoreline. This doesn’t mean the rest of the detector is fully submersible, so we suggest as a general rule, that you go up to your ankles in the water. Just released is the new Garrett Ace 300 which replaces one the most popular model’s for serious beginner metal detectorists, the Garrett Ace 250. Owners give it good reviews; and at under $255, you can’t go wrong! For a bit more money, the Garrett Ace 400 delivers more amenities, with a higher operating frequency, new salt water capabilities and the deepest seeking Garrett Ace search coil ever.

The Fisher F22 and Fisher F44 models are budget friendly, yet sophisticated with weatherproof design. The big benefit here is the 2-digit Target Identification number you will find on higher-priced models. This adds a lot to the ability to discriminate trash from treasure. The Fisher F22 features 4 modes of operation, while the Fisher F44 features 5 modes of operation—plus they both have a pinpoint mode. The Tesoro Silver Umax is a very popular model in the Tesoro line up that gets high ratings at a price range of around $250. This is a favorite for relic hunting and coin hunting. It is light weight at 2.2 pounds, so it’s easy on the arms for hours of treasure hunting.

The Bounty Hunter Platinum is an easy to use metal detector that shows you what's in the ground before you dig.

The Bounty Hunter Platinum Metal Detector

Rounding out this top-of-entry level category are two units with features you would expect to pay more for. Check out the Bounty Hunter Platinum and the Platinum Pro unit. The Platinum Pro sports a larger, more powerful 11″ DD search coil.

In a nutshell: if you are going to buy quickly, don’t go crazy and overspend on your first detector. If you want to upgrade at a later point, you can always sell the lower-grade detector and move up. If you decide you DO want to do a little research before purchasing a metal detector, be sure to read the articles below:

“How to Select a Metal Detector”

“What is the Best Metal Detector?”

“Which Metal Detector is Best for You?”

Target Identification – an Amazing Metal Detector Feature!

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Display screen on the Fisher F5 Metal Detector

Display screen on the Fisher F5 Metal Detector

Did you know that today’s metal detectors actually TELL you what target is being signaled? When you first set out treasure hunting with a metal detector, you will notice the different sounds and tones your machine makes. You’ll hear low grunts and higher-pitched signals. Then, when you look at the LCD display on your detector, you’ll see numbers and/or bars illuminated on the screen. This is the Target Identification indicator. It indicates which type of metal is being transmitted. Usually, the target Identification has an iron section, a gold range and a silver range. Some indicators are extremely detailed, while others are more simplistic. It depends on the price of the model and how sophisticated the circuitry is. Target ID is important, because it can save you a lot of time before you start digging. If you’re hunting a trashy area, you may not want to spend hours digging up old nails and bottle caps.

Understanding Target ID Numbers

The numbers displayed on a detector’s screen give even more detail about your target. Target ID numbers are different per manufacturer and detector model. Your user’s manual will have a section explaining what the numbers are pinpointing. For example, on a Teknetics detector, the Target ID code of 88 likely represents a silver dime. Fisher “F” series models list dimes between 64-66. Whites detectors use ‘Visual Display Indication’ to represent targets. A U.S. quarter on a Whites detector has a VDI value of about 85.

As a beginner, it is important to dig up all targets your detector signals. You’ll then understand how your detector reacts to each type of metal. Later, you may choose to use Discrimination. Discrimination can eliminate trash targets: pull-tabs, foil and iron trash so you don’t even get a signal when trash is found. In fact, when hunting for jewelry at the beach, Daniel Bernzweig of MetalDetector.com says “discriminate out iron plus coins at the top of the display screen. By Concentrating on the middle gold range, you up the chances of finding gold jewelry“. A whole new world of possibilities has been opened for new detectorists because of metal detector advancements – this includes entry-level models!

Owners of the Fisher CZ-21 Underwater Metal Detector- “It is the BEST Purchase Ever!”

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Fisher CZ-21 Underwater Metal Detector

Fisher CZ-21 Underwater Metal Detector

Waterproof to 250 feet and exceptional in salt or fresh water, the Fisher CZ-21 Metal Detector gets five-star ratings. Underwater hobbyists LOVE the discrimination abilities of the dual frequency (VLF) Fisher CZ-21. According to one reviewer, “The CZ-21 is easier than a PI machine. I am finding a LOT more treasure and digging a lot less!” The CZ-21 is extremely deep-seeking; volume settings above 5 amplify faint, deep signals. Discrimination features: Target I.D.: Slow Motion, Silent Search Discrimination and  Auto-tune: Motion, all-metal with threshold. In Target I.D., high tones represent coins, mid-tones signal gold and low tones are usually iron. The CZ-21 also features advanced Pinpoint and touch-pad Ground Balance with manual and pre-set options. Fisher CZ-21’s dual frequency (5 kHz or 15 kHz) is designed for precision on land and underwater. Waterproof headphones and hip-mountable control housing are included—for ease while scuba diving and snorkeling. All this plus the CZ-21 will ground balance right down to salt  for smooth operation at the ocean!