Gold Nugget Detecting with the New Garrett ATX


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OK folks, here you go. I have spent about two days of nugget detecting with the new Garrett ATX metal detector over the course of three actual days at three different locations. I learned a lot about the detector, and did actually find some gold with it, no small feat for this prospector from Alaska. I am a total newbie in the Lower 48 and were it not for good friends would have a much harder time placing myself in some decent locations. I learned enough I wrote up a very long article with photos on my website which is a lot easier for me to maintain and update with new information than posting on a forum.

Gold Nugget Detecting with the Garrett ATX - Hints, Tips, and Tricks

The bottom line is a big thumbs up for the ATX for nugget detecting. I was very impressed by the ability of the ATX to find very small gold nuggets straight out of the box with the 12" x 10" DD coil. No special tuning, just a high sensitivity setting and careful hunting. My two smallest nuggets weighed in at 0.12 gram and 0.16 gram which says more to me about the ATX than finding larger gold. 1.36 grams total in four nuggets. Check it all out in the article.

Just in case somebody does not know I no longer deal in metal detectors. If you have any questions about purchasing anything seen in my article contact Rob.

Steve Herschbach

gold-nuggets-found-with-garrett-atx.jpg

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Steve in your article on your blog you said the ATX's weight was 6.9.... So i had to check and see what my turdy five hundred and Docs Screamer weighed in at...

As close as I could figure it was 6.8....that is including an external speaker I always attach in case my headphones crash 5 miles from the vehicle.

Sometimes i will use a bungee from my backpack harness, but i dont think i have ever hunted a solid 8 or 10 hrs like some of you do....i can usually make it 4 or 5 without a bungee, but like you say, i will probably be sore...

Interesting article you wrote up, keep them coming.... I can see the possibilities...for the many different areas I am traveling....

paul

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Steve

I think from top to bottom left to right the nuggets are from Nev, Cal, Cal, Nev,

All kidding aside I think that Garrett detectors has really raised the bar on detectors with their new ATX and I was impressed with what I've seen so far from them including the external wireless coil but from what I've been hearing Minelab is coming back (soon) with a whole new line up of detectors and I think everyone is going to be surprised!. AzNuggetBob

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Nice nuggets Steve. I couldn't open the link, having internet probs where I live. Did you check the targets with say a 5000 before digging them? Would be interested to hear if that was done, or when it is done.

No, I did not. Is there a question you are attempting to learn an answer to by having someone do such a thing?

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I say any comparison from one detector to another has been done over time. In another words we know how small a nugget the GPX 5000 will find. Now we see just how small a nugget the ATX will find. Most detectors will detect the larger nuggets but we always wanted to know how many small nuggets we were walking over because the detector didn't have the capability to detect them. In years past when a King was put in place he didn't stay there forever and I don't believe any detector can stay we'll say in power forever either. I'm not saying for you that have a 5000 go throw it in the trash. Now it comes down too am I willing to spend 5700.00 are 2100 on the ATX that will find the fly specks for a lot less money. What Steve found is getting near to what I said.

I don't think you will ever see the GPX 5000 at a lower price but I do think Minelab will come out with something like the ATX and compare to it in price. If I had the money I'd still buy the GPX but I can buy the ATX and be happy with my purchase. So that's what I'm going to do. The odd thing with me is in past year I've never gave Garrett a second look in the past on coin detectors. Now I look around the room I have one, two and maybe three now.

At 4 in the morning that's what I think.

Chuck

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Me thinks you already know the answer. Or should I say "question".

No, I really do not. Do you have a GPX 5000? Are you worried about it for some reason? Need confirmation of its capabilities? Most of the gold I found this summer so far has been with a GPX 5000. It is a stunning piece of technology. If you have one go use it and be happy. I am not trying to sell GPX owners on the ATX. I got my ATX for the simple reason it can go underwater and my GPX cannot. If a GPX owner does not need waterproof I do not know why they would be interested in the ATX. Which is why I asked.

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I know the ATX coils are high but the only one I'd buy is the 8 inch mono coil. When I had my 3500 I had all kinds of coils and they didn't fall in the cheap box. If I had a GPX 5000 I'm sure I'd even buy more for it. Just because I like them! When I talk about the cost of a detector it's the basic price that I say not all the fun things you buy after. When you see a funeral going down the street you don't see a armor truck following behind it. I want it to be a sad day for everyone when I go.

Have fun enjoy life be good to your dog and tell all you love them.

Chuck

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Steve, it was a real treat finally getting to do a little hunting with you, I read your review of the atx, very professional, having watched you work the machine in that wash it was immediately apparent that the machine was in the hands of a seasoned professional, I can't wait to see the results that less talented detectorists have, but from what I saw of the detector I think it has what it takes to fill the niche in the market, can't wait to get a little free time to hunt up your way

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Steve, it was a real treat finally getting to do a little hunting with you, I read your review of the atx, very professional, having watched you work the machine in that wash it was immediately apparent that the machine was in the hands of a seasoned professional, I can't wait to see the results that less talented detectorists have, but from what I saw of the detector I think it has what it takes to fill the niche in the market, can't wait to get a little free time to hunt up your way

 

Glenn, it was a real pleasure finally meeting up with you again and doing a little detecting together. Winter is about set to hit here but it would be wonderful if you can get up this way in the spring. I will be spending the next couple months researching new locations to hunt. Will probably drop down to Arizona again between now and then. You ever get away in the winter?

And thanks again for pointing me in the right direction!!

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Steve, I should be back in az by the middle of January, hopefully for most of the winter, my son is getting stationed in Hawaii for the next three years so I want to try to get over there for a couple weeks but the rest of the winter I would like to spend prospecting in az, I have a few spots I have been wanting to hit for a while, plus there are a lot of places like the one we hit that are always good for a nugget or two, I will let you know when I head out and maybe we can drag rob, Dennis, jim and Brandon out for a weekend

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Steve, I have a couple long-range areas in mind, I will let you know when I get back out to az, Dennis has access to some private property areas that might prove productive since they have been off limits to other detectorists, he recently hit a nugget in a remote area that shows some signs of old workings, I hunted the fringe of the area and hit some old lead buried deep in the cracks in perfect locations so I don't think the area has ever seen a detector, when I get back out there we will put a hunt together into the area, it is a little rugged to get in, but it flattens out nice with lots of side drainages and some old arrastras and some old building outlines

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