Several probes field tested, but not by me .....

[Critterhunter]

Sorry to hear about the ring, but you have to ask yourself what the odds are of that ever happening again. I bet you'd have more of a chance of cutting a ring by digging a plug than you would destroying a real fragile one by using a probe, if you know what I mean.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Sorry to hear about the ring, but you have to ask yourself what the odds are of that ever happening again. I bet you'd have more of a chance of cutting a ring by digging a plug than you would destroying a real fragile one by using a probe, if you know what I mean.

I don't know what you mean. The purpose of digging a flap is that you are cutting outside the target so that you don't damage it.

 

[Critterhunter]

Regardless of that, I've seen rings on edge or mixed with trash be off to the side of the plug so you've got just as good of a chance cutting one in half using a digger IMHO. I've also ended up cutting chains in half because of this as the pinpoint will be right over the pendant and not the chain. If I had used a screwdriver to pop the pendant I probably won't have cut the chain. I'd say the odds of those things are just as good as destroying the odd fragile ring by using a screwdriver to pop it.

I'd also say that digging plugs ring hunting is even less desireable than cutting plugs for coins. Mainly because people who ring hunt are usually digging many more targets (trash) looking for rings. Do enough of that in a sports field and you won't have to worry about destroying a ring there any more because you won't be allowed to hunt it.