Interested in MDing

[tlbuck]

I am a history buff and would like to get into MDing as a hobby. I am not sure which detector to get for the money (read: BROKE!!!) and I already got some tools for digging...old crochet hooks, rubber gloves, my most recent tetenas(?) shot...LOL!

I can feel the silver calling me...

Theresa

 

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[ZumbroKid]

check for a local detectng club, most members have an extra machine and could give a good deal as well as how to hunt with it. Good luck

 

[tallpaul]

yes join a club,, when they find you dont have a machine but are serious about the hobby someone will lend you one and maybe even offer you the sale at a very low price,, if not go to the flea and farmers markets and hunt for a cheep detector to get you going,, i know wal-mart does some decent bounty hunters at low end prices to start you off, ie lone star, good luck

 

[grizzly bare]

buck,
This may sound like heresy, but I suggest you do things a little differently. Save, swap, borrow a good middle of the line detector and use that for a while. The cheaper models work...but not as well as you want. The Ace 250 for about $200 is a great little machine and will keep you happy for quite a while. Any decent White's or Garrett's will do a good job. Read the old posts here and you will find kudos for Tesoro and Bounty Hunter.
I made the mistake of buying way over my capabilities for my first machine (Minelab XS) and almost quit before I got started. I sold that and bought my Ace 250 and have been happy ever since. Conversely, I have talked to folks who bought the lower end models and couldn't find anything interesting and gave up.
Take your time, shop around, look for a local club, read the posts here and the literature and find a machine that fits your budget, your hunting style, and your area, and get out there and have lots of great finds.
grizzly bare (I'm partial to White's..say an IDX, 6000Pro, Spectrum...)

 

[jreamy4]

Find you a whites xlt on ebay, i bought a broken one for $100 and had it repaired for $160 more. there really is no comparision between a whites and a bounty hunter

hh
jim

 

[Monty]

Don't be so fast to discount a Bounty Hunter. When you get into the upper end of the BH products you get into some pretty darn sophisticated machinery. Until the ACE 250 came along BH probably got more people into treasure hunting than any other brand. Also, I have seen some extremely good finds posted by BH users, right here on this forum! Yep, I started out with a BH and still use it a lot. How'd you guess? Monty

 

[Sandman]

Welcome to the hobby. Take note that Tallpaul is correct in joining a club or at the least find a fellow Th'er to hunt with for awhile to learn the ropes. As for a machine to start with, many buy cheap BH not knowing if they will stick to the hobby and don't want to waste money. I think buying on Ebay is a mistake too. Buy from a fellow club member as most won't sell you junk and might just want to trade up for a better machine. A metal detecting dealer is a good place to shop as you can try out different brands and deceide. This also removes the possible damage shipping does to MD's during the holiday season especially.

I would not go with the top of the line detector because of the learning curve. But at least you won't have to trade up for a few years. Try to find a machine that you can hipmount to save weight.

HH,
Sandman