CZ-3D - A Great Detector...And A Lousy One

It all depends on how you use it.

There's been a good deal of excitement about the Racer and some of the other new detectors lately. But since I've always been served well by a bit of a contrarian streak, I decided to post about this legendary older detector that has been working so well for me in many of the places I detect.

I certainly don't come close to the level of cz experience that some users have, but I'm on my third cz-3d now and I think the light bulb is finally fully turned on for me.

Getting a hot unit that has been properly tuned by Tom is obviously most important, considering the huge depth difference between hot and cold units. But beyond that a big key for me has been understanding that the cz-3d is the boss...when it comes to deciding where it can be used effectively. Where I can use it effectively, my "keepers" are noticeably up.

I think there is a large percentage of detectorists who would not be well served by the cz-3d...those who primarily hunt areas that have been heavily pounded and are high in trash from many years of high human activity i.e., old urban parks. Being successful in those areas requires a detector with good unmasking abilities, and that is not the cz-3d. As someone who is primarily a yard hunter, the cz-3d is effective for me in a good percentage of the areas I detect.

I know that Tom feels the cz-3d is still the best "old coins" hunter in medium or lower levels of trash. I only have a tiny fraction of his knowledge or his experience with various detectors. But, at least based on the detectors I've used, I have to concur with his opinion.

What I find amazing is that a detector based on a platform that is almost 25 years old, is still considered by Tom Dankowski and other respected experts to be the gold standard for old coin hunting in some situations.

I always carry a CZ with me when I hunt, may not use it, but it is always ready to go......

The CZ line with the small 5" coil will do surprisingly well in heavy trash. Run it in zero disc and be ready to do a bit of digging and it will surprise you at what it can find.

Having used every CZ model ever made over the last 20 plus years surely old technology at its finest..Certainly user friendly to setup with no complicated programs takes many hours in the field to learn and use it to its max..A must for the serious detectorists to have in his stable of detectors...

Not to mention salt/enhanced switch, 2 frequencies & your nickel count will go up and the chance to dig a high tone gold coin I'm all in ! Wow some of those gold coins are small!

I've been using DD coils for so long that the simplicity and accuracy of the concentric 8" cz coil with the inner ring is a nice change. No detuning ever needed, no need to even press the pinpoint button on a coin unless you want a depth reading.

And when the depth reading isn't exact, it's conservative. Another nice change since so many detectors exaggerate depth readings...like the F75 depth meter which routinely added 2-3 inches onto actual coin depth.