Good metal detectors?

km8907

I'm trying to find a good metal detector for my dad for Christmas. He used to do it as a hobby decades ago and knows good brands, but I can't ask him without rousing suspicions. Can anyone recommend anything good?

lessismoreohio

I've used metal detectors for the past 40 years since I got my first one on Christmas morning when I was 12 or 13. I've owned several different models over the years, but have always liked White's Metal Detectors / White's Electronics. I find White's detectors are easy to set and easy to use. Also, the one's I've used do not give many false readings (false positives). I find that metal detecting is a fun hobby. My family teases me about it sometimes; saying it's lame, but I've found some valuable and/or old coins, jewelry, tokens, weapons and other interesting items over the years.

cee134

My 2 cents:

I don't know much about them but you could always try something like this:
You can go up to him and say you have a friend that thinks the Fisher F4 is the best this year, but you think it's really the Garrett Ace 250. Maybe he'll offer you his opinion?

Or maybe say your friend's dad is about to get some cheap model and ask if it's good or not and if he has any suggestions.

He may suspect, in the end, but you could always wrap it in a different box, that would throw him off a little bit.

cee134

lessismoreohio wrote: »

I've used metal detectors for the past 40 years since I got my first one on Christmas morning when I was 12 or 13. I've owned several different models over the years, but have always liked White's Metal Detectors / White's Electronics. I find White's detectors are easy to set and easy to use. Also, the one's I've used do not give many false readings (false positives). I find that metal detecting is a fun hobby. My family teases me about it sometimes; saying it's lame, but I've found some valuable and/or old and coins, jewelry, tokens, weapons and other interesting items over the years.

Ok, I've got to ask. What is the most interesting items you have found?

TreasureDiver1

km8907 wrote: »

I'm trying to find a good metal detector for my dad for Christmas. He used to do it as a hobby decades ago and knows good brands, but I can't ask him without rousing suspicions. Can anyone recommend anything good?

Hey - That's my life - I'm a treasure diver and land hunter. There are many different aspects to find out about what type of detecting your Dad will be doing and of course $$$$$. You can private message if you would like. I need to get a lot more information.

lessismoreohio

cee134 wrote: »

lessismoreohio wrote: »

I've used metal detectors for the past 40 years since I got my first one on Christmas morning when I was 12 or 13. I've owned several different models over the years, but have always liked White's Metal Detectors / White's Electronics. I find White's detectors are easy to set and easy to use. Also, the one's I've used do not give many false readings (false positives). I find that metal detecting is a fun hobby. My family teases me about it sometimes; saying it's lame, but I've found some valuable and/or old and coins, jewelry, tokens, weapons and other interesting items over the years.

Ok, I've got to ask. What is the most interesting items you have found?

I found a rifle from the 1800's once in West Virginia, a hand carved button made from bone, probably from about 1840 (found this on the surface while detecting at an old military camp site on Galveston Island), old military buttons, lots of old silver coins, gold jewelry, and lots of interesting old toys like WWI lead soldiers and old toy cars.

km8907

TreasureDiver1 wrote: »

km8907 wrote: »

I'm trying to find a good metal detector for my dad for Christmas. He used to do it as a hobby decades ago and knows good brands, but I can't ask him without rousing suspicions. Can anyone recommend anything good?

Hey - That's my life - I'm a treasure diver and land hunter. There are many different aspects to find out about what type of detecting your Dad will be doing and of course $$$$$. You can private message if you would like. I need to get a lot more information.

He'd just use it casually as he's pretty out of shape and not in the best of health. I'd rather not spend more than $600.

LeGaCyGiAnT91

km8907, if you have a $600 limit to use, go with the Garrett AT Pro. It's the best metal detector in the price range, and honestly works just as well as some of the top end machines made period. I have one, and it knows what's it's doing. Easy to discriminate out iron, has good depth readings. It's a great machine, and did I mention it's 100% waterproof up to 10 feet? I got mine along with the Garrett Pro Pointer for $615 shipped to my door. PM me if you have any certain questions. If your dad is going to use it frequently, get it.

tmanfromtexas

LeGaCyGiAnT91 wrote: »

km8907, if you have a $600 limit to use, go with the Garrett AT Pro. It's the best metal detector in the price range, and honestly works just as well as some of the top end machines made period. I have one, and it knows what's it's doing. Easy to discriminate out iron, has good depth readings. It's a great machine, and did I mention it's 100% waterproof up to 10 feet? I got mine along with the Garrett Pro Pointer for $615 shipped to my door. PM me if you have any certain questions. If your dad is going to use it frequently, get it.

I agree, I think the AT Pro is a good machine for the price. I will add I have never used one but have heard nothing but good things.

LeGaCyGiAnT91

tmanfromtexas wrote: »

LeGaCyGiAnT91 wrote: »

km8907, if you have a $600 limit to use, go with the Garrett AT Pro. It's the best metal detector in the price range, and honestly works just as well as some of the top end machines made period. I have one, and it knows what's it's doing. Easy to discriminate out iron, has good depth readings. It's a great machine, and did I mention it's 100% waterproof up to 10 feet? I got mine along with the Garrett Pro Pointer for $615 shipped to my door. PM me if you have any certain questions. If your dad is going to use it frequently, get it.

I agree, I think the AT Pro is a good machine for the price. I will add I have never used one but have heard nothing but good things.

Coming from using a cheap Bounty Hunter, I just wanted a quality detector. I justified spending the $$ at first (for a good while) but finally said F it, and went through with it. I love it. I have well over 100 hours on it, and it's been a great machine. If the ground has items, it has no problems finding it.

ClubSilencio

What kinds of things can one typically find with a metal detector?

lessismoreohio

ClubSilencio wrote: »

What kinds of things can one typically find with a metal detector?

You do find a fair amount of metal trash to be honest; nails, pull tabs and the like. However, It really depends on where you search. I like to search older school yards and the lawns around older houses. At both of these locations, you can find coins and jewelry. In my experience, in searching around really old home foundations and really old farm fields, you find some neat relics like old buckles, crotal bells, old buttons, firearm parts, musket balls and the like. You have to be careful to hunt on public property where it's allowed or to get permission to hunt on private property.

Unknown

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cee134

littlemissbgiff wrote: »

Got my husband the AT Pro when we bought the plantation. We found the cemetery

Was it made out of metal? It's good exercise too. I know someone that found an old gold coin once, and alot of other things that sounded interesting.