First Hunt 705/15" LF Coil

[Bryan V]

I have one particular park in town that still produces old coins but they are deeper than most in this area.
Silver starts at 7" but most are around 9". Mineralization is high.
I have been hunting in pinpoint mode (all metal) with my CTX trying to find coins deeper than 9" but it is a frustrating task.
The CTX does not have a true threshold based All Metal Mode.

I decided to buy a new 705 because it has a very good threshold based All Mettal Mode (Prospect Mode) and
the new Minelab 15" 3 kHz Coil to see what it could do.
The idea is to hunt in prospect mode listening for deep coin size targets, then checking them in coin mode.
If you get solid iron tones move on. If you get a some high tones or NO tones then dig.
The Prospect mode is awesome! Very smooth and precise. I would love to have this option on my CTX!
It's a very powerful tool! Love the Minelab 15" LF Coil too.
This combo jumps all over silver when you get the coil over it. ID numbers are jumping from 38-46 but the tones are high and strong at 9" in minerized soil.
I never did find any targets that the coin mode could not ID audibly.
All the wheats and silvers were 8-9" and one Merc was possibly 10". Full Garrett Carrot + deep..
I found a couple earrings, 5 nickels in the 6" range. Several dimes and quarters. 3 Wheats, an 05 Barber dime and a couple Mercury Dimes. 17s and 31s.
I was pretty happy with this hunt especially considering it was my first time out with it.

I won't be giving up my CTX anytime soon but If I didn't have it, I wouldn't feel out gunned for silver hunting if I only had a 705/15" 3kHz coil combo.
I prefer this 15" coil over my CTX 13x17 Coil.

 

[Neil]

Nice finds......deep silver is always good.

Did you try hunting also in coins mode? I guess I am missing the point of using prospect mode since all your coins IDed in coins mode......almost sounds like an old sovereign trick....hunt in all metal and dig everything you get no response at all in disc mode.....
I will be getting the 9" 3khz coil in a couple weeks.....those big coiltek coils are to much for me anymore....

 

[Bryan V]

Yes I hunted in coins mode too.

The reason I am trying this is because my CTX maxes out at about 10" on a dime with the 17" coil at this park.
I have found quite a few coins here at that depth and figured there has to be deeper coins that my CTX can't see.
Hunting In a threshold based all mode is deeper than the coin mode.
I'm just trying to find keepers out of normal range of most detectors.

I have had success doing this with my CTX in pinpoint mode but it very hard to do and it's not quite the same as a good true All Metal mode.
I have haven't found anything deeper than 10" but I have found several old coins on edge and a gold ring at that depth that I would have missed in normal coin mode.

 

[Old Longhair]

You've struck on my most preferred equipment selection.
I still use other coils when circumstances call for something else, but the bulk of my hunting is with the 15" LF coil.
Similarly, I usually run with the machine in AM, but often I'll offset GB, and if conditions are favorable for it I'll employ Prospector mode.

Remaining flexible is part of the key to success. If you lock in on any particular setup, you aren't taking advantage of the full potential an Xterra offers.

 

[Neil]

Yes I hunted in coins mode too.

The reason I am trying this is because my CTX maxes out at about 10" on a dime with the 17" coil at this park.
I have found quite a few coins here at that depth and figured there has to be deeper coins that my CTX can't see.
Hunting In a threshold based all mode is deeper than the coin mode.
I'm just trying to find keepers out of normal range of most detectors.

I have had success doing this with my CTX in pinpoint mode but it very hard to do and it's not quite the same as a good true All Metal mode.
I have haven't found anything deeper than 10" but I have found several old coins on edge and a gold ring at that depth that I would have missed in normal coin mode.

Is the17" coil the one that comes on the CTX? I thought it was more like the Etrac, an 11" coil. I would try a smaller coil, that big coil is sure taking in lots of stuff to work thru.

I think the all metal mode(button activated on the 705) is basically any of the coin modes with the notch settings removed, making it like a wide open disc mode. It has a threshold also.

But your speaking of prospecting mode when your speaking of the all metal mode and that indeed has no tone ID or metered ID, it should be the deepest of all the modes on the 705.

The X5 I have has a wicked all metal mode but it will bang hard on a small piece of iron deep so its kinda frustrating to use.

 

[Bryan V]

Is the17" coil the one that comes on the CTX? I thought it was more like the Etrac, an 11" coil. I would try a smaller coil, that big coil is sure taking in lots of stuff to work thru.

I think the all metal mode(button activated on the 705) is basically any of the coin modes with the notch settings removed, making it like a wide open disc mode. It has a threshold also.

But your speaking of prospecting mode when your speaking of the all metal mode and that indeed has no tone ID or metered ID, it should be the deepest of all the modes on the 705.

The X5 I have has a wicked all metal mode but it will bang hard on a small piece of iron deep so its kinda frustrating to use.

The CTX comes with the same 11" Pro Coil as the E Trac.
I probably didn't explain my situation very well. This Park I am hunting is a little different than most in my area.
The soil is much less rocky and all the old coins have sunk to the 7-9" range or possibly deeper.
It is not real trashy so I am using big coils and any technique (TRUE all metal) I can to reach the deep coins.
The reason I bought the 705 is because of the Threshold based All Metal Prospect Mode which is deeper than
any discrimination mode on either the 705 or my CTX..
The ground is pretty mineralized and 9 or 10" on a dime is Max for my CTX with the big coil.
I'm just trying to see if I can find something past the 10" depth without using a PI machine.
I was surprised at the 705s ability to match my CTX in depth in coin mode.
Give me a 15" round coil and prospect mode on my CTX and I would be a happy camper!
Bryan

 

[7centsworth]

Congratulations. That is one coil I have on my list.

 

[dougmanning]

Great Job Bryan ; like the pics ! Doug

 

[xwyokid]

Good hunting. I sold my X-70 a few years back...Still regret it. Anyway, I'll be buying a 705 here pretty quick. Ahhhhh...The sound the 9" KHz makes on silver. Music to the ears!!