1266X MAGNUM 1st few times out..a learning experience indeed.

The weather up here is finally starting feel like spring and the ground is starting to thaw. I was finally able to get the MAGNUM out for its first test run. When I purchased this unit from Tom he had also sold me (for a very modest sum I may add) 2 additional coils. A 8" spider and a 3" sniper (not a typo). I decided to go with the 10.5 coil for the first time out. I took it to a very old park I have been hunting since '87, where I had used my 1266x there that I bought in '88. I had it for 16 years so I had lots of experience with the model. The MAGNUM though, is a whole different story. I wanted to begin by searching a section of a hill that is being used for sledding that I have really pounded over the past couple of months with my V3 and my Mexican 3D. I set Disc #1 at 3 to accept all thin gold rings and $1. gold coins and disc #2 at 7 After a half an hour I had found a few pieces of junk and a Canadian penny. I decided to go to the top of the hill where people mostly sit. Now heres the interesting part. This area on top of the hill is especially trashy. I have been over this one area many times with the above mentioned machines and have always dug ALL pulltabs and coins of course. I naturally started getting signals that turned out to be foil. Now I wasnt digging all the foil signals with the V3, there was just to much of it. But, I always dug tabs and now, within this little area I was finding all kinds of them. And then, I found a nickel. Now I'm really mystified, because I know I went over that area a bunch of times. Then I get another signal, sounds a little deep. I check it on disc 2 and its breaking up, I figured its another piece of foil. I dig down and find a old wheat back at 6". Why did it sound so bad in disc #2 I thought? I ran the coil over it and it still broke up, thats weird. The date is badly worn I think its from the 20s. Back home, I ran my V3 over it and it registers like a zinc pennie but bounces alot, probably why I missed it. Anyway back at the park, I ran my coil back over the hole and got another signal that sounded a little deeper. I dug another inch down and low and behold I pulled up a 1900 Indian Head. I was excited to say the least because this is only the 3rd one I have ever found. And it is in great condition. It doesnt look like it had been in circulation that long. How long must it have been down there? Maybe 100 years! Even before my grandparents were born. What I find really facinating is this coin was found in a very obvious place. Why didnt anyone else find it? When I got home I conducted a little experiment. I placed the Indian Head on the cement floor and placed a couple inches of bubble wrap over it. Then I place the Wheatie right over it slightly off center just like I found it. It was bouncing alot, and nothing consistant. I ran the 3D over it in the enhanced mode and it gave steady a hi tone. I may have not ran over that with the 3D, but I know I did with the V3.
I have been thinking all winter long about Toms excellent article "Beneath the Mask" If you havent read it, read it! In it, Tom explains how he completely sanitized a baseball diamond of all metals..with shocking results. I have been wanting to conduct my own experiment like that but not quite like the size of a baseball diamond. I decided to got back again the next day with the Magnum, but this time with the 3 inch coil. I did not find another Indian Head, however,,I was very surprised at what I did find. I decided to grid off a 4 x 4 section. Within that small area (where I found the Indian Head) I have found, on 3 separate visits and 3 hours, 1 Indian Head, 1 Wheatie, 6 nickles, and 1 dime. And I am not even nearly done yet. As said earlier, this area ha been gone over at least half a dozen times before with my V3 w/a 10" DD coil. Why didnt I find it before. Simple. Masking. Within this small area I have found dozens of pulltabs, sqaure tabs, beaver tabs, p tab rings, tons of foil. And lots of nails, and lots of wire. People spread their blankets out on this hill during the summer to watch the fireworks and fasten them down with the wire and nails and they end up leaving them there. All those coins was surrounded by that garbage. I think and I may be wrong but even the pulltabs were masked by all those long nails and long wire 'U's to fasten down the blankets.I know its only a matter of time till I find a ring amid all this, although this is not something I could always do. It is very tedious to say the least, but very educational. Learning to hunt in 1 tone is very challenging. I think what Im gonna do tomorrow is go over the area again with my 1021 3D that Tom just tuned up with its 8 inch coil, then go over it again with the MAGNUM with its 3 inch coil and see what happens. This is the first time I have really put this much effort into searching in heavy trash, any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Just incase anyone is curious, Tom says that this 3 inch coil will get a dime down to 11 inches, the 8" coil at 14 inches and the 10.5" at 15"-16 inches in the dirt respectively at full sensitivity.

Thanks for reading and happy hunting!
Aaron



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 03/09/2010 01:27PM by Aaron.

Thanks for the long report! Keep us posted on your educational experiences..........and finds. The education is going to hurt at first.........then.........in the long run.........you will be deep into the 'advanced hunter' bracket.

Sorry for my ignorance but what is a 1266X "magnum" ?

No problem. The MAGNUM is a supercharged 1266X that has been modified to use (2) 9 volt batteries pls the standard 8 AA's

FOR SALE. (I've been prompted by someone)
Posted by: NASA-Tom (IP Logged)
Date: February 16, 2010 08:57PM


Going through some of my inventory, I have found a detector that I'm (somewhat) willing to sell. It's a prototype. A one-off. 1266-X Magnum w/10.5" coil. Operates very much like general purpose 1266-X's except a few special differences. It's the worlds deepest 1266-X.....and by quite a bit. Detects a round pull-tab at 21" in dry sand. (Mans gold wedding band @22"). I recommend this unit ONLY be utilized in open-field relic hunting applications.......and jewelry hunting in dry sand. On/off switch is a toggle switch on the back of this unit.........unlike standard 1266-X's. Requires the standard 8 AA's like a standard 1266-X.....AND ALSO requires 2 9V's in the back of the control box (((part of the reason for the extreme depth capabilities))). Nearly an absolute necessity to have a standard full-length (5-foot) shovel. There are some other features I'll reserve comment.

You REALLY should be a EXPERIENCED detectorist for this one. It's a 'teacher'! Eye-opener.s on top the standard (8) AA batteries.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/13/2010 08:49AM by Aaron.