Good morning. This is my first post. I am brand new to the sport and have recently purchased a Garrett ACE 300 "kit" to include the detector, pin pointer, coil cover, etc. I am really enjoying the hobby and enjoy the ease of use of the Model 300. I live on an island off the coast of Washington State and have searched most often at the site of an old (1889) farm house that used to be on our church property. Since January the only coins I have found are 4 pennies, but one of them was a 1929 S wheat cent (the same year the church was build). Also, lots of nails and bits of junk (to be expected, huh)? The last time I was out I had a solid 80 target reading on a spot, but after digging down almost 10 inches I still found nothing, although the pin pointer was giving me a strong signal at the bottom of the hold. I think I'll investigate this target again!
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Garrett Newbie Here
- Thread starter FB49
- Start date
Coinboy007
Well-known member
Good luck, I had the ace 300. Nice machine. Run it in zero mode for the best performance.
Welcome to one of the greatest outdoor sports, and welcome to the forum. The Ace 300 an be a good unit for many to get started with, and as you use it and learn it, you are going to better appreciate some performance differences / advantages some up-scale models will offer you as you'll quite likely advance as this hobby grows on you. Just remember, even though the Ace 300 is a lower-end model, it still needs to be learned in order to get the best performance out of it.
Site selection is always going to be an important element in finding more and better targets. Only 4 pennies isn't much of a return, depending upon the amount of time you have put in detecting, so it might be the locations needs to change. ??? Also, I suggest using very little Discrimination because the more you use, the more good targets and performance you'll lose.
Yes, you are likely to run into a lot of Iron Nails and other trash that can sometimes give you fits, but just take your time. Use a slow and methodical sweep speed to more efficiently cover an area. Learn to audibly recognize the smaller-size, also known s coin-size, target responses. Also learn to size-and shape a target using the Pinpoint function.
Also remember that the VDI read-out is a 'suggestion' of what a target might be or the conductivity range of a target. If you're using n Ace 300 w/7X10 Concentric coil, a coin-sized target should have been easily located, and if you are down to a 10" hole and it is still signaling, odds are it is a piece of junk and not good, desired target. Not a coin-size object, most of the time.
Get out detecting as often as possible, and maybe find some different locations that have a lesser amount of iron debris and other modern trash. Learn your detector well, and in doing so you'll better learn the hunting techniques and recovery methods to help speed things up for you.
Monte
Thanks for the input! I'm still learning the sounds of coins vs. trash. The main reason I'm considering extending the dig at that one hole is that it is located right about where the front porch on the farmhouse was, and the grandson of the previous house owner told me his grandfather didn't trust banks back in the 30's and it's possible he "might" have stored his money in an old Mason jar buried under the porch. I think it might be worth a second look? FB
Here's a field test I did on the ACE 300 International version:
About 10 years ago, I purchased an ACE 250, a new machine by Garrett Metal Detectors. It was a real winner! A machine at that price, with all the bells and whistles (notching, depth readout, target ID, various-programmed hunting modes) along with great depth turned a lot of heads. Even the accessory coils were moderately priced. Charles Garrett had often stated that he always wanted to build good metal detectors, affordable to all. The ACE Series was good example of this.
Fast forward to 2016. The ACE 300i (International version) has some new features not previously available on the first ACE Series generation. It still comes with a 3 piece attachable rod, a 18 x 25 cm (7" x 10") PROformance™ (concentric) submersible search-coil at a mere 2.8 pounds. However, that little yellow box is packed with new technologies:
New- higher frequency (8 kHz) provides better sensitivity on low and medium-conductivity targets (i.e. gold, lead)
New- Increased Iron Resolution: 3 x the iron resolution of an ACE 250, to help overcome target masking in iron-laden hunt sites
New- Adjustable Frequency to help eliminate interference
New- Cam-locks for increased stem stability
New- Includes Pulse-Width Modulation audio: sharper, more responsive Audio/Digital Target
New- ID: 0 to 99 scale offers target information
Before doing this writeup,I managed about 10 hunts, including relic hunting in the woods and many hours hunting parks and sports fields. This machine is so EASY to set up and hunt with. Just pick a hunting mode (jewelry, relics or coins) or hunt in zero discrimination. You can also create your own mode which the ACE stores as memory.
One of my favorite hunting modes is shown above. It was designed, by throwing various coins and silver rings on the ground, running my coil over them and copying down the ID number. Then, I made my own "CUSTOM" mode by removing all the notches from the ID range except for the ones which should sound off an audio signal on many of my preferred targets. So, hunting for coins and rings was sooooo easy! I just hunted trashy areas with those settings, and the ACE 300i easily picked out the coins/jewelry with those settings. In less trashy areas, I preferred to hunt in jewelry or relic mode.
This new detector is a coin vacuum! It sounds off on all my coinage. You have to practice going over planted coins to get comfortable with the designated ID numbers . For best results, keep the coil 2-3 inches above the ground and overlap each swing by about half. I found that the ACE 300i has too much power packed into it. Therefore, I could not run it with full sensitivity, even at great distances from power lines. I ran it at 6/8 snsitivity, which gave me excellent depth with good quality ID-ing. One thing to take note on, is that deeper copper coins past the 2-3 inch mark will read s few numbers high. For example, a shallow penny with read about 84. If it's down 3 inches, the number will increase to about 86. A good little piece to remember, as it is not in the manual.
The ACE 300i bangs real hard on rings. It sounds of with equal audio in all directions. I was really surprised to dig 6 of them. Pull-tabs read at about 78, often times with a double beep, making them quite easy to identify. And again...as previously mentioned, beyond 3 inches of depth with pull-tabs, expect a higher number value.
I was quite pleased, getting a signal in the low 60's, strong, yet soft. After trying to carefully pull up the unknown target, I saw a small glimmer of a gold chain. I carefully dug up the chain, and along with it came a gold heart! Made my day.....Some of the other unusual signals, strong, but not suggestive of coins or pull-tabs, came out of the ground as bling! I was rewarded with plenty of earrings and other odds and ends.
Having recently been overshadowed with a mosquito infestation in and around Edmonton, allowed for only one hunt in the woods searching for relics. Even 3 coats of mosquito repellent wouldn't keep those hungry blood sucking bugs off me. Recent stories about the Zika Virus didn't help either! However, I have no doubt in my mind, that the ACE 300i would have pulled out some great finds from the dirt in Edmonton.
I did perform an air test on the ACE 300i. Doing an air test on a single frequency metal detector with will show it's most maximal potential detection depth. Now, you will most likely not get these depths of similar targets in your soil or water. However, if a metal detector air tests 8 inches on a gold ring, it will NOT read any deeper then 8" in the ground. Mineralization, salinity, moisture all interfere with a metal detector's ability to detect a target deep.
Here is what each target's numerical target was during the air test. The exact same targets will read differently if covered with oxidation, are extremely deep or are found with different mineralizations in the soil.
If you are new to metal detecting, and are looking for your first metal detector, don't overlook the new Garrett ACE Series metal detectors. They pack a lot of performance, technology and can be purchased at a reasonable price. If you are looking for a coin shooter to hunt well manicured lawns, the ACE Series would also fill that need.
About 10 years ago, I purchased an ACE 250, a new machine by Garrett Metal Detectors. It was a real winner! A machine at that price, with all the bells and whistles (notching, depth readout, target ID, various-programmed hunting modes) along with great depth turned a lot of heads. Even the accessory coils were moderately priced. Charles Garrett had often stated that he always wanted to build good metal detectors, affordable to all. The ACE Series was good example of this.
Fast forward to 2016. The ACE 300i (International version) has some new features not previously available on the first ACE Series generation. It still comes with a 3 piece attachable rod, a 18 x 25 cm (7" x 10") PROformance™ (concentric) submersible search-coil at a mere 2.8 pounds. However, that little yellow box is packed with new technologies:
New- higher frequency (8 kHz) provides better sensitivity on low and medium-conductivity targets (i.e. gold, lead)
New- Increased Iron Resolution: 3 x the iron resolution of an ACE 250, to help overcome target masking in iron-laden hunt sites
New- Adjustable Frequency to help eliminate interference
New- Cam-locks for increased stem stability
New- Includes Pulse-Width Modulation audio: sharper, more responsive Audio/Digital Target
New- ID: 0 to 99 scale offers target information
Before doing this writeup,I managed about 10 hunts, including relic hunting in the woods and many hours hunting parks and sports fields. This machine is so EASY to set up and hunt with. Just pick a hunting mode (jewelry, relics or coins) or hunt in zero discrimination. You can also create your own mode which the ACE stores as memory.
One of my favorite hunting modes is shown above. It was designed, by throwing various coins and silver rings on the ground, running my coil over them and copying down the ID number. Then, I made my own "CUSTOM" mode by removing all the notches from the ID range except for the ones which should sound off an audio signal on many of my preferred targets. So, hunting for coins and rings was sooooo easy! I just hunted trashy areas with those settings, and the ACE 300i easily picked out the coins/jewelry with those settings. In less trashy areas, I preferred to hunt in jewelry or relic mode.
This new detector is a coin vacuum! It sounds off on all my coinage. You have to practice going over planted coins to get comfortable with the designated ID numbers . For best results, keep the coil 2-3 inches above the ground and overlap each swing by about half. I found that the ACE 300i has too much power packed into it. Therefore, I could not run it with full sensitivity, even at great distances from power lines. I ran it at 6/8 snsitivity, which gave me excellent depth with good quality ID-ing. One thing to take note on, is that deeper copper coins past the 2-3 inch mark will read s few numbers high. For example, a shallow penny with read about 84. If it's down 3 inches, the number will increase to about 86. A good little piece to remember, as it is not in the manual.
The ACE 300i bangs real hard on rings. It sounds of with equal audio in all directions. I was really surprised to dig 6 of them. Pull-tabs read at about 78, often times with a double beep, making them quite easy to identify. And again...as previously mentioned, beyond 3 inches of depth with pull-tabs, expect a higher number value.
I was quite pleased, getting a signal in the low 60's, strong, yet soft. After trying to carefully pull up the unknown target, I saw a small glimmer of a gold chain. I carefully dug up the chain, and along with it came a gold heart! Made my day.....Some of the other unusual signals, strong, but not suggestive of coins or pull-tabs, came out of the ground as bling! I was rewarded with plenty of earrings and other odds and ends.
Having recently been overshadowed with a mosquito infestation in and around Edmonton, allowed for only one hunt in the woods searching for relics. Even 3 coats of mosquito repellent wouldn't keep those hungry blood sucking bugs off me. Recent stories about the Zika Virus didn't help either! However, I have no doubt in my mind, that the ACE 300i would have pulled out some great finds from the dirt in Edmonton.
I did perform an air test on the ACE 300i. Doing an air test on a single frequency metal detector with will show it's most maximal potential detection depth. Now, you will most likely not get these depths of similar targets in your soil or water. However, if a metal detector air tests 8 inches on a gold ring, it will NOT read any deeper then 8" in the ground. Mineralization, salinity, moisture all interfere with a metal detector's ability to detect a target deep.
Here is what each target's numerical target was during the air test. The exact same targets will read differently if covered with oxidation, are extremely deep or are found with different mineralizations in the soil.
If you are new to metal detecting, and are looking for your first metal detector, don't overlook the new Garrett ACE Series metal detectors. They pack a lot of performance, technology and can be purchased at a reasonable price. If you are looking for a coin shooter to hunt well manicured lawns, the ACE Series would also fill that need.