Looking at getting a T2

[nova74]

Looking at getting a T2 for a while now just haven't pulled the trigger on it yet. I've used a few different machine brands like Garrett, Minelab, and own a Tesoro (Tiger Shark just haven't gotten into the water with it yet and has only sat on my wall for that time). I enjoyed the Garrett Gtax 550 alot and was my sole machine for a couple yrs. Then stepped into the Minelab world with the Explorer 2 which was a Love/Hate relationship. now I use the ctx which I truely enjoy and is much easier than the explorer 2. The weight is a bit of an issue for my shoulders and can't swing it all day.

The T2 seems like it could provide ease of use while still working in the fields around rusty areas and trash and still achieve depth. I'd like to hear from daily users what there pro/cons with this machine. If you were stepping into this machine for the 1st time knowing what you know which model would you get; Classic, SE, LTD?

 

[farmer85j]

I have the classic and mainly coin hunt with hopes for rings and the t2 is just easy and fun to use. It is deep in air tests, also have an f 75 se ltd and in the air it is a bit deeper than the t2 classic but my t2 classic air tests a quarter an 14.5" i have never seen anyone dig a coin that deep around here. My opinion if you can afford it get the top t2 but for 499 the classic cant be beat.

 

[njdigger]

Nova 74
I purchased a t.-2 classic 5 months ago as a back up for my AT pro. Well my wife actually wanted to use the atpro to hunt a friends field so I bought the t-2 for me. I have had great success with it. It is a deep seeking detecter. I have dug dimes 10". I like to use tones at 2+, disc. 21, sense 70. Even with the stock 11"coil I have good target separation in trash. The only thing I wish it had would be a notch feature. Saving my pennies now for a 5"coil.

 

[Rob in (Ca)]

For me.....The T2 is a everything Detector..... works very good on.... Deep coin hunting.....Tot Lot hunting..... Sports field Hunting (jewelry) ..........Beach Hunting ........Iron infestation sites......... The T2 is the best ergonomic Detector I have ever used ......For under $499 new ......you just can not go wrong ....... Good luck

 

[Fish N Chips]

I love my T2 classic, it is my all around detector. I have the 5" coil, the NEL sharpshooter and 11". The 11" gets used the least, but does go deep. Most my sites are just too trashy for larger coils. The 5" goes pretty deep for its size, I have dug coins at 6-7" with it. The sharpshooter is my general use coil and does everything pretty well.

I use it for all my coin hunting, it is nice to have the TID in the parks and chase the deep signals. TID drops off around 9-10" for me, and targets 11-12+" are by tone only. Separation is good, but the larger coil can average readings over multiple targets, the smaller coils definitely lock onto targets better. Even low sensitivity goes deep. I have a spot with bad EMI due to a radar array. I run as low as 20, and still get coins 5-6" deep. I had to get a Sampson shovel to chase the deeper signals the T2 picks up, especially in wet ground.

I relic hunt a lot and the separation in iron with the 5" coil is great. Truthfully my Tesoros are better in the iron nails with better separation even with the larger coils, but the T2 goes much deeper. I usually go to the T2 first, and as targets start drying up switch to the Tesoros which uncovers more questionable targets. It amazes me what you can uncover just by taking advantage of the benefits of different machines. Different detectors definitely compliment one another.

What I like:
Depth, TID, light weight, ease of use, good on battery life, good separation in trash, the different tone options for different styles of hunting (single, 2+, 3, ect), TID works in all metal.

What I do not:
It would be nice to be able to use concentric coils when in bottle caps, a bit more volume range with the external speaker (headphones are very loud though), my Garrett pinpointer cross talks with the unit (the Garrett "carrot" seems to work better with it, not really a problem with the unit just an annoyance).

I have been very happy with my T2 classic. For the price it really works well in a lot of different environments. I hope to try it out for gold prospecting later this summer. I have tested it and it will pick up very small nuggets, about the size of a #8 bird shot at an inch or two.

 

[Rick N. MI]

I'm new to the T2se. The 5" coil goes deep. I'm able to run it at sensi 99, bp mode and hits my 9" dime. The Nel Sharpshooter is ordered. The 11" coil is more susceptible to emi than the other coils. I also have the teknetic 15" coil and it seems to run quiet too at high sensitively. I run 2+ and 0 disc. If I want to dig iron relics I run 1+, disc 21.

Rick

 

[chuck ky]

When you say that the target i.d. drops off do the numbers not appear or are they lower than they should be

 

[BarryL]

Chuck I believe what he is saying is that deep Deep targets that give a good signal shows no target ID. My T2SE does the same thing I have dug many copper pennies and some lead 22 bullets at well over 10 inches that gave a clear crisp high tone although it was light each pass of the coil . But show no ID number. I dug my first war Nichol that way almost didn't dig it but glad I did I love my T2SE . best balance I have ever used only wish It had the notch feature sometimes and a backlight . Also want the Sharpshooter coil for it .

 

[Fish N Chips]

Exactly, when looking for deep targets the TID will start to drop numbers, and then go blank but the high tone will still come through on deeper signals. The numbers do not drop by much, only 4-5 numbers before the screen goes blank, but enough to fool you between a dime or copper penny, and a zinc penny. I take this into account on deep targets. One spot I hunt has a fast sink rate due to flooding, I find modern quarters at 10+ inches in wet soil. I can hear those targets, although faintly, but have no TID display on them.

I agree a back light would be nice. This time of year I do a lot of night hunts as it is miserable during the day (110+ degrees). I went out last night and it was still 90 degrees at midnight, yuck. I use a headlamp while hunting, but a backlight would be nice. Usually at night I turn up my discrimination and hunt by tone.

 

[chuck ky]

So when a dime is deep enough to drop to 79 it will still give the high tone but a shallow zinc at 79 will give the medium tone. When you turn the disc. up and hunt by tones how high do you turn it? When I clad hunt I use 80 to avoid the trash so I just use 1 tone because everything will be the same anyway.

 

[Fish N Chips]

I rarely hunt with a high discrimination. High discrimination causes a loss in depth and reduces target seperation in trash. I set it just above the worst offender and hunt. Usually I run at 24 on discrimination to just knock out square and round nails. I am not much of a park hunter, I hate modern trash and clad is not my thing. I hunt relics and old coins when I can, and usually dig everything above a nail. Iron relics are my best finds at most my sites.

On the rare occasion I hit a park I start at discrimination around 24, and slowly increase it to avoid being driven crazy by trash. I do not take it above 70, as older indian head pennies ring around a zinc. Normally it ends up between 24-50. I base my digs on tone, depth and TID if I have it. Most my local parks are so overly trashy I find I can not reach the deeper targets. Several of my parks date to the late 1800s, but you can not get through the carpet of zinc pennies, foil and bottle caps. Honestly I do better with a small coil than chasing the deep signals.

If going deep I run the discrimination at 10, sensitivity as high as possible, and chase every deep signal that gives a chirp of a high tone and no TID. It pays off sometimes, but you still gets fooled too. All metal will sometimes give a TID on deeper targets. I read some machines drop the TID on deep targets to iron, but I have not noticed that. Mine will drop say a copper penny from 82 to 78, then go blank. I use depth as more of a judge than TID on those signals. I don't find too many zinc pennies really deep, if that makes sense.