Good "Starter" Target ID Machine for Dry Sand Beaches

I have a middle age friend who wants to try metal detecting - but only on dry sand beaches. What would be a good "starter" machine for this purpose that's not overly expensive?

A previously-owned Fisher F2 ?

My choice would be a used Eurotek Pro. Once set up, all you have to do is turn it on and the adjustments are easy. And for what you get the used ones are cheap. If you want to know where one is, at a reliable dealer, just send me a PM. I have no stake in any transaction with him.

F44

Good deep unit for the money...

Very stable too..

I like it alot of the newer offerings of late from FT on the lower Freq..

Keith

“I don't care that they stole my idea . . I care that they don't have any of their own”
-Nikola Tesla

The Racer does real well at the beach, even wet salt water beaches.

I've heard the Minelab X-Terras do well on the beach.

HH
John

The Racer is excellent at the Beach but for for the money, a Fisher Gold Bug Pro DO with the 11" coil works great, it's light weight, and hits hard on gold.

An older Sovereign. Why decide to hunt only the dry? With a Sovereign you can hunt the dry to knee deep.

Sovereigns? Yikes. He wanted a machine that's 'not overly expensive'. Here in the U.K, used Sov's sell for excessive prices, 400 - 500 Pounds (700 US Dollars). Are they cheap in the U.S, then? If they are, I may consider international purchasing.....

A used XS or XS2 can be had for for 350.00 if you watch the forums. Don't forget that the price can be returned with one good find on a beach. Every time I have ever hunted dry sand I wished that I could drop down on the slopes towards the water and take advantage of some type of sand movement I see. Get a detector that can hunt both wet and dry. Save yourself some money. Your next detector will be to do both anyways.

The notion that " it could pay for itself easily" seems to be behind the stupid U.K price. But they're not waterproof, so I would be very wary of using one on a beach, especially given their age and lack of support for them.
And you would need to fit a meter on it too (as per Mike's request), and I don't see many Sovs with meters included.

I can't imagine needing or wanting to use a screen ID detector for detecting dry sand beaches. There's too much gold jewelry at them not to dig everything. I'd get a Tesoro and spend the rest on a good sand scoop. One that sifts sand fast and easily.

tabman

This screams compadre,$160.00 and lifetime warranty.
Loves small to all gold.

------------"Cz's still bad to the bone".------------
Living on a big ass Astroid.
The woman that got my rib,I want it back.

"Why does it have to be an ID type machine?
Forget the ID's and dig all and any of the Switch-on-and-Go machines will do!
But consider Garrett Ace, X-Terra 305, Tesoro Compadre" but not the Go-Find's

IF your Budget could teach higher my Highest Recommendation would be fund a Troy Shadow X5

I agree Des i like your choices, but consider that used Sov as well Ive seen a good many of the Sovs recently with Rons meters being sold. Learn those tones you cant always trust the TID and dont a reason not to dig except for iron and bottle caps. Xterra with freq change coils is a good one. The Sov has been around for a long time and has several coil choices/sizes. Lets be honest dry sand hunting is mostly recent drop stuff .......... so covering a lot of sand is important.

Dew

Mike Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have a middle age friend who wants to try metal
> detecting - but only on dry sand beaches. What
> would be a good "starter" machine for this purpose
> that's not overly expensive?

The poster requests what is a good, NOT overly- expensive detector . People are recommending detectors that ARE expensive, in my opinion.

ORIGINAL POSTER = Come back & tell us this person's budget, in U.S. dollars.

No more than $300.

Gold bug pro with 11" DD is all he needs. Very light and hits well on mid conductors. The Eurotek pro would be another good option.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/16/2016 01:50AM by Fletch88.

Thats reducing the field. What u looking for.... most dont know? But remember its just as important to know and use the machine properly. I seen guys with less expensive equipment kick some butt. Coil control is important. ..as is digging most targets at first. Trsoro makes some good little machines to. TID screens arent as important on the beach.

Dew