Which Way Should I Go

[Goody]

I'm trying to select my first metal detector. I live in Colorado and I'm interested in both nugget and relic hunting. I looked at the dual purpose X-Terra 70 metal detector - it looks like it will do a "good middle of the road job" for both nugget and relic hunting. But it looks like the Eureka Gold for nugget hunting and the Explorer SE for relic hunting will do a better job in each of their respective areas. For the added expense of two machines, will I find significantly more nuggets and relics with specialized machines or will the X-Terra 70 do just as well? Will the Explores SE and/or Eureka Gold work as a dual nugget and relic hunter better than the X-Terra 70? Should I avoid any of these machines as a first time user? Are there any machines I should consider that would do better? Thanks...Goody

[Allen in MT]

I would look at the Lobo ST as a dual purpose machine. The x-70 is a good deep seeking machine for relic's and coins, but wont find the smaller gold as does the LST. There are trade offs on all machines, Ifyou choose the x-70 get the eleptical gold coil that is a soecial at this time and then look at getting the 10" round DD 7.5 khz and then run it in the prospecting mode for all hunting, you can easily switch modes for checking coins status.

The LST is a much better machine at finding gold and smaller size gold. Look at getting a bigger 12x10 coil when you can as it is also a good relic machine and does right fine on coins. I've used them both. But if your finances will let you get 2 machines Gold I prefer the GB2 and for coins and relics the x-70

just my thoughts and in the future when you want the bigger and deeper gold get a GP

E&HAGD

Allen in MT

[CaptGrumpy]

I was really starting to worry about the direction the forum was going with a thread title like the one you used.

[gotgold]

I was really starting to worry about the direction the forum was going with a thread title like the one you used.

YeeeeUp.....North to Alaska, go North the rush is on....

Must be some younger folks taking a look see here.... just may keep us old farts on our toes

Gary

[fredm]

Goody;

the cost of the detectors and the number of detectors you have is not what determines how much gold you will find. The detector operator has far more affect on success than all the detectors you could buy. As part of your research you may want to go over to Steve Herschbach's Alaska forum and Moore Creek site as he has assessed many detectors for nugget hunting as well as other types of detecting.

All that said, I think the Lobo-st is an excellent General Purpose machine. It is easy to use and is all that Allen says it is.

Good luck

Fred

[Goldman]

The LST has always been a good detector, but it is a very dated old design, especially auto ground, you can easily track out small nuggets if you swing it across to many times on a target. As far as a relic detector. I don't really know of much use. I would go for the new X-70 to do both of these ideas in detecting, the iron masking and discrimination with the X-70 I think is far superor. Good Luck..Don