What's the best detector/coil combo for working in iron of all sizes (and square nails)?----Opinions?

If you don't know D&P, who does?

I don't normally hunt in iron infested areas but I know that the DeepTech detectors are amazing at finding coins above, below and around nails. Their two tone audio is amazing.

Deus, F75 or Patriot with the 5" round coil attached, Nox running with the horseshoe activated, and believe it or not I have picked a lot of goodies out of the iron with FBS detectors going slow with a small coil. These would be my choices not necessarily in that order but in my opinion the Deus is the top dog in the nasty iron. But what do I know, I hunt for coins in parks most of the time.

Deeptech w/ Super 6 6x8 coil is amazing in iron and the detector runs quiet thru the iron. No false hits and then its gone. A little negative ground balance increases depth.

Tesoro Tejon/Vaquaro w/ 8" or 8x9 concentric is great in iron. A little noisy but no falsing. With these a negative ground balance is good too.

Deus/Orx also a top detector in iron.

I don't know of any better than these in iron./



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2021 01:40PM by Rick, N. MI.

I also liked the Nokta Fors Relic in iron. I didn't have any falsing with it. The 5" coil was great in iron. I wish it was still made today.

If you can tolerate coin-depths of only ~ 5 inches, and wimpy in minerals, and a bear to keep balanced, then: The old 77b could pass nails, yet get a coin hiding under 2 or 3 square nails laid squarely over the top of the coin. A Tesoro silver sabre or Bandito is a close second place (with better depth and ease of operation). The deus is supposed to be the cat's meow for this too.

XP Goldmaxx Power -- Version 4 !!!
3 tone audio, iron threshold,
See right through damn near nastiest machine gun iron.
NO ID ###

XP Deus with 9" HF coil at higher frequencies.

Tarsacci. I don't have one but I've watched videos of it running silent in iron. It's turning out to be a great detector in iron. I heard a rumor a smaller coil will be coming.

The only way to work such a site is by using a small coil,of course you wont get the depth of say a normal stock coil,but with so much iron around a stock or larger coil will suffer from target masking.
On some of my real trashy roman/saxon sites the only thing that works for me is using a small coil and go over the site slow and low,you just cannot do anything else.

My preferred machines for these types of sites are my T2 with the 5'' coil,Tesoro with a 4'' coil,Nox 6''coil and a few other small coil combinations as well.....if the ground is high mineral content then i would use bring out my TDI Pro with a 6'' Coiltek coil.

But Target masking is going to be the biggest problem and only way to get around it and try and bring the odds in your favour is by using a sub 6'' coil.

In years past the Tesoro's with small coils were good as was the White's Classic III and IDX Pro especially with the Mr. Bill Crabtree mods. Nox with 6" coil is OK but I like the Deus/ORX with 5x9.5" HF coil better. But where the 5x9.5" coil is too large, I'll grab a Makro Racer or Racer 2 with the OOR Coil or the Nel Snake/ CORS Shrew 3x6" coil. I know the Nokta Fors Core and Relic are also outstanding in the iron infest sites.

Tom Slick Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In years past the Tesoro's with small coils were g
> ood as was the White's Classic III and IDX Pro esp
> ecially with the Mr. Bill Crabtree mods. Nox with
> 6" coil is OK but I like the Deus/ORX with 5x9.5"
> HF coil better. But where the 5x9.5" coil is too l
> arge, I'll grab a Makro Racer or Racer 2 with the
> OOR Coil or the Nel Snake/ CORS Shrew 3x6" coil. I
> know the Nokta Fors Core and Relic are also outsta
> nding in the iron infest sites.


Good post.

Tom Slick Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In years past the Tesoro's with small coils were g
> ood as was the White's Classic III and IDX Pro esp
> ecially with the Mr. Bill Crabtree mods. Nox with
> 6" coil is OK but I like the Deus/ORX with 5x9.5"
> HF coil better. But where the 5x9.5" coil is too l
> arge, I'll grab a Makro Racer or Racer 2 with the
> OOR Coil or the Nel Snake/ CORS Shrew 3x6" coil. I
> know the Nokta Fors Core and Relic are also outsta
> nding in the iron infest sites. I saw that you listed the IDX Pro as one of the detectors that works good in iron, I just bought myself one that is in pristine condition but it doesn't have mods, I also have along with the stock 9.50 the Blue max 8 inch coil and the Blue max 6 inch coil. I haven't tried it out in the naily areas yet but I will now that you have mentioned it as one of the detectors the works good in that environment.

The only drawback to the IDX is that it's a single tone machine. If White's had ever updated it to at least two tones it would really made an excellent detector outstanding. The IDX is a fast response but slower recovery detector. You need to sweep a little slower with it but it will hammer those round non-ferrous targets. Good luck with you IDX.

Tom Slick Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The only drawback to the IDX is that it's a single
> tone machine. If White's had ever updated it to at
> least two tones it would really made an excellent
> detector outstanding. The IDX is a fast response b
> ut slower recovery detector. You need to sweep a l
> ittle slower with it but it will hammer those roun
> d non-ferrous targets. Good luck with you IDX. Thanks, I will let everybody know how I do with it.

I still like the Equinox with six inch coil and full tones...The way the tones blend in that stuff is just Great to me.

In CARPETS of nails...... I prefer an XP.

In fairly thick iron (or less)....... I prefer Tarsacci or EQX.