I have been challenged! Help me choose my weapon.

[Terry Soloman]

I was at a gathering of local metal detectors and we had "the" discussion - whether it is the machine, or the operator, that leads to better finds. Before I knew it my extra large mouth was saying I could find just as much with an entry-level machine, as a new to intermediate hobbyist with the best machine on the market. Much to my surprise, one of the newer kids (with an XP Deus), piped up and said he would take that bet. We agreed that I could use any machine under $250.00 retail, and that we would detect together once a week over the next three-months. At the end of that time we will compare our finds, and a panel of our buddies will decide on the winner. The winner gets $200.00 and bragging rights.

Which machine would you choose with a retail of $250.00 or less?

 

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[smallfoot]

Hope you mix up the hunts some. Maybe a relic hunt somewhere other than parks. Parks are fine too. Maybe a wet area. They all need different approaches.

 

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[Terry Soloman]

You may have lost before you even get started from breaking the agreement on retail price. That detector you received retails for $300.

http://www.fortbedfordmetaldetector...etal-detector-teknetics/Teknetics-eurotek-pro

 

[gunsil]

Sheesh!! I wish my old BFO was still working, I'd join you just to show younger folks how well those old machines did. Just dig a bit more trash with them but gold chains rang out well on them. XP, Nox, CTX3030, Bounty Hunter, F2, I don't think it makes a difference if you are hunting the same site. The only exception may be on a silted in site or a heavily landscaped one where targets are unnaturally deep. One person will have better luck on any given day than all others on the same site no matter which machine they are using. All you gotta do is get your coil over a good target which is more luck than skill, I am sure you know the drill well and hopefully you'll come out on top or even.

 

[Goldiver]

You got this Terry! That machine should be near the performance of the Delta 4000 which I bought for my nephew several years ago. Of course I had to test it out before giving it to him and I was very impressed with depth and performance. I feel with your experience you will easily come out on top. I am looking forward to seeing the results.

Steve

 

[Goldiver]

Sheesh!! I wish my old BFO was still working, I'd join you just to show younger folks how well those old machines did. Just dig a bit more trash with them but gold chains rang out well on them. XP, Nox, CTX3030, Bounty Hunter, F2, I don't think it makes a difference if you are hunting the same site. The only exception may be on a silted in site or a heavily landscaped one where targets are unnaturally deep. One person will have better luck on any given day than all others on the same site no matter which machine they are using. All you gotta do is get your coil over a good target which is more luck than skill, I am sure you know the drill well and hopefully you'll come out on top or even.

Gunsil, do you remember the old Bounty Hunter Mini Red Baron? It was a simple little detector with a 6 inch coil. I had one as a teenager and it was a silver magnet! I would take it to old fair grounds absolutely loaded with steel bottle caps and pull tabs and just cherry pick all kinds of silver left behind by the high end Whites and Garrets guys were using back then. I didn't dig much trash either.

 

[dsdigger]

Terry, Experience does matter and even with a machine that you are not used to, you'll get it down and be putting yourself in front quickly! This will be interesting.

 

[TheGreenBoy]

Eurotek Pro is not a bad choice. Unless the ground will be highly mineralized, yuo will be a hard competitor. I would use small coil to avoid deep targets - more shallow targets can be digged in the same thime with the same probability to be good or bad as deep ones. So you can bit him on statistics.

There is a lot of salt in what you are doing. The fact is, in 95% of what the average detectorist needs the differeces between a fair and a top line VLF are minute. However, as the enviroment conditions becomes harsher, the advantages of top line VLF will rapidly manifest. You should avoid biches and salty water, highly mineralized areas and almost hounted-out areas where only deep targets remained - unless you intend to use the larger DD coil. I believe you will be quite even with that machine on heavy contaminated places, the small coil is a plus here. Good luck, and do report how it turned out.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

I'm a firm believer in the experience of the operator! I've used the ACE 250 and was a very good machine for the money. Now with the "better" machines I use, still dig almost everything just deeper.

Good Luck Terry!

 

[LawrencetheMDer]

DRUM ROLL......And the WINNER IS?
(Also show us your finds.)

 

[smallfoot]

Good luck today if ya'll get out!

 

[TerryC]

We start this Saturday, weather permitting. I'm going to use the Teknetics Eurotek Pro, which was sent to me by Keith at Fort Bedford Metal Detectors. Keith sponsors my Youtube Channel, and thinks I can beat this young up and comer (or at least hold my own), with the 11" Double D on the ET Pro. Yeah Swaveab, I'll let the kid use a pinpointer. He'll need all the help he can get!

All I can say is you could, with your experience, do it with a BROKEN Bounty hunter! TTC

 

[RustyGold]

All I can say is you could, with your experience, do it with a BROKEN Bounty hunter! TTC

That’s why I recommended the lowly Giant killer. The Tesoro Compadre! Lol!

 

[Terry Soloman]

Well, we could not start today as the young man has the flu! I'm disappointed but plan to get out with the TEP, and start getting to know it today and tomorrow. I hope he is up to getting started next weekend. I'm going to call his wife (a Pediatrician!), and see if he's faking it!

 

[vferrari]

Good choice, Terry. Similar to the Delta 4000, which I refuse to sell off. I would take that bet if I were you too...and I own a Deus.

The order of preference to detecting success: 1. Site selection, 2. Overall experience on a broad range of sites and types of detecting, 3. Experience on different types of machines, 4. Really knowing the machine you are using (you are going to have to work on that one, Terry, but 1, 2, and 3 help), 5. Overlapping swing coverage and know when to dig (detectorist skill), 6. Grid site (if not time constrained) or Fast target recovery (if time constrained), 7. Detector.

The tool (detector) is waaay down on the list. Using Tiger Woods' golf clubs or the latest super whamadyne Driver does not give a relative golf newcomer, Tiger Woods' success.

 

[SD51]

Terry, you could probably sell tickets to watch you guys go at it! Will you be recording it for us to watch? Best of luck...

 

[Calgarychef]

This is a fun contest! I have a DEUS and I have to say if it’s a young guy without much experience he’s at a disadvantage.
If it was me...I’d slay you

 

[U.B.]

My Dad used to say: “Old age, and treachery, will outwit youth and skill, any day”
My money is on Terry. Go get him pard!

 

[smallfoot]

If at all possible, can you let us know how the rating of the finds is gonna go? I think I read where ya'll had some bystanders that will judge that...what will be considered junk and what will be a keeper.

 

[TerryC]

If at all possible, can you let us know how the rating of the finds is gonna go? I think I read where ya'll had some bystanders that will judge that...what will be considered junk and what will be a keeper.

I think they should dig all. Judge junk by the pound and keepers by the value. Assuming both will have the same areas, the one that has a larger keeper to junk ratio is the winner. TTC

 

[Terry Soloman]

This weekend, I am going upstate to Ancram, New York, with another TNet member, John845 from Newburgh, to present a young veteran with a new metal detector and digging gear. He is working on, and recovering from, some real problems with PTSD and drug addiction. Clean now for seven-months, he and I think metal detecting will be a fantastic pastime and hobby for him. I want to thank Keith Leppert at Fort Bedford Metal Detectors for giving me the Whites Coinmaster at wholesale - he didn't make a dime on it and shipped it to me free when I told him why I wanted it!

Anyway, I'm trying to convince "XP Deus Man" to come with us, but this will be a full day trip with a 2-hour ride each way, so we'll see. Either way, I'll film what I can