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prospecting with bandido ii umax
- Thread starter sargoguy
- Start date
Yes, I have nugget hunted with Tesoro's Bandido II and Bandido II [size=small]micro[/size]MAX models, several of them I have owned through the years as a matter of fact.sargoguy said:
While I had used other manual GB Tesoro models for just about every type of hunting I do, to include working gold producing sites, I was well aware of all the general talk about using a higher frequency model that was a 'gold prospecting' dedicated unit. I used quite a few of those as well, often side-by-side with other versatile models in my arsenal and the 10 kHz to 12 kHz Tesoro's worked reasonably well. I used a 7" Concentric search coil most of the time as I had better ground handling and much better small-target performance with that coil.
One function where many nugget specific models had an advantage was that they had a fast auto-tune speed in the Threshold-based All Metal mode, and in January of '93, Jack Gifford introduced the 'improved' version with a very fast Auto-Tune with the Bandido II model. I started working with that model upon its release and it became my primary-use, all-purpose detector at the time. With the improved [size=small]micro[/size]MAX version of the Bandido series, the Bandido II [size=small]micro[/size]MAX, I included that in my personal arsenal. That was in October of '97.
Since then I have owned a few of each, the Bandido II and Bandido II [size=small]micro[/size]MAX, and worked with all the available search coils for them. My favorite coil through the years had been the 7" Concentric, but that changed when the smaller and thinner 6" Concentric [size=small](the 5.75 labeled coil)[/size] was introduced. About 16 years ago I added a White's MXT to my arsenal, operating at about 13.89 kHz and designed as a multi-purpose model with a 'Prospecting' mode [size=small](aka a Threshold-Based All Metal mode)[/size], and that was what I most often used in gold nugget country .... but I still had at least one Tesoro Bandido along and would work those as well.
Do they work? Yes. Are they the best detector for nugget hunting applications, if that is a primary purpose? No, not really. I currently have, and do not plan to part with either, a Bandido II and Bandido II µMAX in my current arsenal, each being equipped with their own 6" Concentric search coil. Is one better than the other? Possibly.
I try to hand-select my detectors when possible, especially a Tesoro because they can have some hot and cold units, and both my specimens are top-end performers. The Bandido II µMAX has a slight edge in detection depth and volume in audio response on mid-depth and deeper targets, marginally, but the good old Bandido II has a 10-Turn manual GB pot while the dinky-sized [size=small]micro[/size]MAX unit has the 3¾-Turn GB control, and that gives my older unit a slight edge in being able to get a proper GB in challenging ground. The [size=small]micro[/size]MAX can be touchier.
I have used every Tesoro model with manual GB since 1983, and a few earlier models from them, and my all-time favorite nugget-specific detector [size=small](meaning a model that lacks a Discriminate mode)[/size] was/is the µMAX Diablo. I say 'is' because it still is a very good Gold Nugget Hunting detector, but I say 'was' because I had and parted with two of them several years ago, in almost pristine condition, and haven't been able to find another since.
... I am still looking. ...I might be Arizona bound when I head out from Eastern Oregon in a few days to get some time in both Nugget Hunting and Relic Hunting any old-use site I encounter in my travels. Yes, I will have a Tesoro Bandido series model along for the ride, and I can't help but agree that both my Bandido II and Bandido II µMAX can "do everything great" since they are very versatile, but they are not my main-use nugget shooters. I will have a few of my other detectors along, including my Nokta FORS CoRe, FORS Gold+ and Makro Gold Racer.
I have, or am trying to, part with all the other detectors in my personal detector battery to keep only the best-of-the-best general purpose workhorses with me. Those include all my Makro and Nokta detectors, and my three all-time favorite Tesoro models [size=small](Bandido II, Silver Sabre µMAX and Bandido II µMAX)[/size] because I haven't found ANY detector on the market that provides the features and performance I need in the very dense iron littered sites I hunt that can rival any of these personal-use detectors.
If you have a Bandido II µMAX, and you're working sites with gold nugget potential, I encourage the use of a smaller-size coil, such as the 6" Concentric, and remember to be patient, keep the coil parallel with the ground [size=small](not scrubbing on the ground, just close)[/size], and be sure to research any site for nugget potential, not just gold where it is only fine, flour type production. You have to have sufficient size/mass to disrupt the EMF. Use a good quality set of headphones and adjust for a proper slight audio Threshold hum.
Best of success!
Monte
On some of my early trips to Prescott, Arizona (87-96) I used the original Eldorado and later the original Bandido II for nugget shooting. I was a complete "greenhorn" at the time but had soaked up some prospecting knowledge through reading. My early trips to Arizona were pretty limited as far as time and finds go while the over-all gold prospecting adventures I experienced in Nevada and Arizona hooked me for life! Wish I could say I found some nuggets during those early trips but what I found was adventure and some "in the field" nugget shooting experience.
A lot of times while searching for nuggets you will come across scattered mining camps of all sizes that are littered beyond belief and this is where you can switch to discriminate (with an all-purpose detector) and hopefully add some coin/tokens and relics to your "poke"
It would be near impossible to do that with an all-metal only dedicated gold hunting detector. I have read many articles stating that nugget-shooting is (can be) one of the toughest forms of metal detecting but it can be rewarding especially with adventure. Best of luck to you and HH!
A lot of times while searching for nuggets you will come across scattered mining camps of all sizes that are littered beyond belief and this is where you can switch to discriminate (with an all-purpose detector) and hopefully add some coin/tokens and relics to your "poke"
It would be near impossible to do that with an all-metal only dedicated gold hunting detector. I have read many articles stating that nugget-shooting is (can be) one of the toughest forms of metal detecting but it can be rewarding especially with adventure. Best of luck to you and HH!A manually ground balanced Tesoro with a smaller sized search-coil when set up properly for the ground conditions using decent headphones can find some tiny targets...any of which could be gold. Just remember....gold has been eroding out of "Mother Nature" for millions of years so it has a bit of a headstart when it comes to tracking it down
The adventure a lot of times is worth more than the payout
The adventure a lot of times is worth more than the payout