Best VLF and PI gold detectors?

Concerning gold detectors, seems the consensus among the experts says the Minelab 5000 (SDC 2300 being a close second) seems to be at the top of the heap for a PI detector, and the Gold Bug II comes in tops for a VLF detector. Concerning coin or relic detectors, me thinks there's a wide plethora of opinions on what is defined as the "best" in those categories. :dontknow:
 

Azblackbird is right.:occasion14:
 

The SDC 2300 is one of choices now... With the whites GMT coming close behind
 

TravyLeigh said:
The SDC 2300 is one of choices now... With the whites GMT coming close behind
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I'm a Minelab man, but they think quite highly of the SD 2300 at $3800 with 8" mono coil......

You can get the Garrett ATX for $2550 and that includes 10x12 DD and 15x20 mono coils...

Nokta Fors Gold Pro for $1399.00 comes w/ 11.2x7" DD Search Coil, 5.2x4.7" DD Coil, 15.5x13.3" DD Coil
 

What detector do you use mainly? The SDC is awesome cause it's waterproof
 

No matter what unit you buy it's only as good as the man behind it. It takes much time to learn any new unit as even the tinyiest adjustment,sounds,churps,single pass sounds, snap, crackle,pops and on and on all tell you something. Detectors talk to you but you must first learn the language. Gold hunting is the absolute most expensive,hardest,least rewarding,travel intense and dangerous form of detecting there is. Buy used but not abused and learn how to detect before you ever try to nugget hunt as at least 90%+++ give up within a very short period of time. John
 

That's understandable. I love it so far :3 just need to find the right places to look!
 

You're right though... If I spent the same amount of time detecting parks, id find much more gold at this rate (in the form of some kinda jewelry). But there's something about the possibility of finding a huge nugget that pulls me towards natural nugget hunting
 

Hoser John said:
No matter what unit you buy it's only as good as the man behind it. It takes much time to learn any new unit as even the tinyiest adjustment,sounds,churps,single pass sounds, snap, crackle,pops and on and on all tell you something. Detectors talk to you but you must first learn the language. Gold hunting is the absolute most expensive,hardest,least rewarding,travel intense and dangerous form of detecting there is. Buy used but not abused and learn how to detect before you ever try to nugget hunt as at least 90%+++ give up within a very short period of time. John
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Well put John which reminds me, deer season opens up Saturday and I have 2 tags to fill this year. Always prefer back strap with my turkey on Thanksgiving.
 

The best Gold machines on the Market right now based on reviews, value and my own opinion are:
VLF: Nokta FORS Gold
PI: SDC2300

This changes depending on where you are hunting, your budget, Max Weight that you are Ok with (Both of those are pretty light) and so many more things.
Do a lot of reading, watch YouTube video's and get a feel for the detector before committing.

Also, like Hoser said, buy used first to get a good feel for it. If you can find the detector of your choice used, even better. :)
 

MHO, and my two 1/2 cents, for value, water proof up to the box, whites service, short learning curve GMT, and TDI, join a club or find someone in your necxk of the woods, find a place you would like to hit and invite someone, cuz, i had enough, be dam if i am gonna show some snot nose adult an open area hot spot again, present company excluded LOL
 

The Gold Bug II is great for finding tiny lead bird shot and small pieces of bullets, if there is gold there, it would probably find it. I don't have any experience finding gold nuggets with it.
 

Ya gotta put it over gold for it to find it.....It takes at LEAST a 100 hours of use to test any new detector as so many modes and ways to use them, a simple 5-6 hour sample test of yesteryear is about worthless. Then a solar flare,micro wave transmiter or monster base station renders your latest greatest new toy worthless as it overloads. Then back to the ol'reliable TLST for me. Interesting but frustrating as happening much in shasta county now. 1 day all is fine--next day nothing but static and overloads on 4 kinds of machines. :BangHead: John
 

2cmorau said:
MHO, and my two 1/2 cents, for value, water proof up to the box, whites service, short learning curve GMT, and TDI, join a club or find someone in your necxk of the woods, find a place you would like to hit and invite someone, cuz, i had enough, be dam if i am gonna show some snot nose adult an open area hot spot again, present company excluded LOL
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So next week's a no go? I told you the runny nose thing was just a cold! Aw man I just scored some batteries in the Dollar General clearance bin!
 

I'm goin up this weekend, but there's high chance of rain... So I'm bringing the wetsuits to snipe in case of rain :) I'd like to detect, but whatever lol
 

Fowledup's gold recovery equipment purchasing policy- gold pays for gold finding equipment, I'm poor and cheap to boot! Apparently I'm not that good at detecting either since gold bought my VSAT, and I still have it and haven't been able to upgrade!:thumbsup:
 

Hahaa same here man! No worries. If I was doing this for money, I'd exclusively sluice. Where are you located?
 

Is there public land we can do some prospecting up there? :)
 

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