Recommendations?

Budget - $600 to $750

Typical conditions detecting - mostly land, medium to high mineralization from South Carolina up to Virginia. Possibly 2 to 3 beach trips a year.

Desired targets - relics, coins and jewelry

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So I've been approached about selling an old 4 wheeler I never ride. That with money I can get for selling my entry level machines should give me a decent budget of $600 to $750 to play with. With the above in mind, what machine would you recommend, and why.

A couple of extra details.

I am not above buying a used machine in good condition.

I know the Garrett AT's fit the bill, but looking for other quality recommendations. I'm sure I would hunt the water if I had a waterproof, but that would be a luxury I'd only use a few times a year at best. Are the Whites as good as the hype? Can used E-trac's be had for that money?

You guys seem like a pretty mature group, so I probably don't have to worry. But let me say ahead of time that I'm not looking to start an argument over which is the best detector. I'm just looking to hear some opinions on what would be selected by you tenured guys.

Thanks in advance,,, Jason

ga1dad you listen and learn from this site but at the end you do what your heart tells you to do.vanzutphen

If you search diligently you can find used E-Tracs in the $750-$800 range. They are very popular machines and hold their value, and for a good reason. However, they aren't really designed for beach or water hunting.

I've had no experience with any other machine than the ATPro. I'm sure it may be be bettered by the Minelab products, but if you are looking for the best customer service, price within reason and versatility, then you might take a close look at the Garrett products. I've had good luck on the beach, in the water and Texas red dirt. Bottom line.....pray about it and the Lord will let you know.

I bought my Etrac used for $1100 with a Garrett pinpointer, lesche digger, 6 inch coil and carrying case. Like Tony says you can find them for $750 and up. I thought my Xterra 705 was a great machine until I used the Etrac. I wasted my money buying the Xterra. There are a lot of good machines out there....it's a tough decision....:grin:

Dan said:

There are a lot of good machines out there....it's a tough decision....:grin:

Click to expand...

Oh so true,,,,

The MXT is a great machine. It'll do well on the beach and isn't bad in the highly mineralized soil of Va.

Thank kray,,, I will certainly look into the MXT. There are so many acronyms with the White's detectors,, kinda confusing,,,, is there a glossary that explains their meanings? (I've requested a catalog for study )