which coil should I use for beach hunting with the gt?

[Czhunter]

Hey guys, another question. I just picked up a used gt about a week ago, and havent had any decent weather to be able to take it out yet. I plan on making it my primary detector for hunting the wet sand at the beaches. I have the 10 inch tornado coil, and also the 12by15 sef coil. Any suggestions on which of these two coils would be better for what I want to do? Also any imput on settings on the detector that might work best. Would be greatly appreciated. ....thanks in advance

 

[Jim Robertson]

I would use the 12X15. The larger the better to cover more beach. Slow down a little you will still cover more grow and still reach deep with the 12X15.

 

[Czhunter]

Hey jim, thanks for the reply. Is pinpointing with that coil pretty accurate? Would the target be in the middle of the coil? I still have to get my practice in using both. Whats your average depth using that coil?

 

[deepdiger60]

Those SEF coils can find deep targets , if you use one make sure the nut on the coil wire going into the coil is very tight by hand some come a little lose from the plant they are made , also the SR S-12 coil is IMO is best for depth and PP along with the stock Minelab Tornado coil,s either 10" or the 8" great deep coils , all those coils are waterproof . Good choice to choose from. Jim

 

[Czhunter]

Thanks jim. I did notice the nut had backed most the way off the threads on the sef coil. Was a little concerned if there may have been an issue with it, but I tightened it down, and seemed to work on an air test o.k....kinda glad to hear thats a common thing on those coils.

 

[bootyhoundpa]

i would probably start out with the 10 inch..... if targets are few and far between i would then put on the larger coil to see if i could get a little more depth..... if the beach is trashy or if there is deep iron under the sand you will want to stick with the 10 inch.... i prefer to hunt in disc mode, disc set at lowest setting, iron mask on, sensetivity straight up 12 oclock, band 1, threshold barely audible, i hunt in fixed position, dig all repeating signals especially the faint or weak ones...... to pinpoint just swing over the target in 2 different directions at right angle of each other and make mental note where center appears to be and diggum up...... with the larger coil depths of 12 inches should be common if the sand is pretty nuetral.... with the wot coil ive dug 15 inch deep dimes,, 2 ft deep pocket knives and cans ... if unit is unstable or falses alot turn the sensetivity down until stable.....

 

[Czhunter]

Cant wait for the better weather...I will try it...thanks

 

[Critterhunter]

The stock 10" Tornado is one outstanding coil but my 12x10 is deeper, seperates left/right wise even more oustandingly, makes tones louder and more crisp, and is a more stable coil allowing higher sensitivity settings in my mineralized soils or sands. I owned the 15x12 and found it was not as deep as the stock 10" coil in my mineralized soils on ring/coin sized targets. Only thing I can figure is that it was sucking up too much ground matrix. In fact, I found that it often got more depth, or at least ID at depth, if I turned the sensitivity down about 1/3rd from what was highest stable for it at a site. In other words, if it was stable at say 9PM, often I'd find about noon to maybe even 2PM or so seemed to give more depth or at least ID at depth. Stick a coin at fringe depth in the sand at max stable sensitivity, to where the coil is just hardly IDing it somewhat, and then try turning the sensitivity down in small steps and see if the ID cleans up. It often did for me.

Oddly though, in my mineralized beaches the 15x12 seemed to get more depth than the stock 10" coil on coin/ring sized targets. Just not on land in my mineralized soils for some reason.

If you want more coverage for sure the 15x12 will give you that, but to find out if it's deeper or even *as deep* as the stock 10" Tornado in your soils or sands, stick a coin in the ground at fringe depth for either coil and then swap and compare. The 15x12, at least in my soil, I believe is beyond the point of no return in terms of coil size to see gains in depth on coin/ring sized targets. In fact, the official field test of this coil shows it got less depth than the 12x10 on smaller coins, and only showed gains in depth on bigger targets (like say half dollar size or so or bigger). The 12x10 was also clearly deeper on sub-dime sized silver, which might be important on the beach when jewlery hunting, and as said even on a dime sized coin it didn't seem to get the depth of the stock 10" coil for me on land (but seemed to get deeper in the sand than stock on a dime).

But you asked about "best" coil for beach hunting? Many will tell you, on both the Explorer/Etrac or the Sov/Excal, that the favorite coil for both more depth and vastly improved left/right seperation and stability is the 12x10. That's not just my opinion, but that of many others in both this forum and the FBS forums. Do some old thread searching and judge opinions for yourself and go from there.

I've been testing out the S-12 in comparison to my 12x10 and the 13" Ultimate I was loaned, and I can say I'm not a fan myself for various reasons. I posted a thread on that several weeks back, and also soon will be posting a few videos of it being ran through it's paces against other coils. Is it a great coil? Sure, but I'd take the 12x10 myself over it, and also plan to buy an Ultimate to replace my loaner, but I won't be adding this loaner S-12 to my arsenal. If I can find a good used cheap price on one down the road I may throw it on my water shaft to replace my 10" Tornado for more coverage, but only because I find the 12x10 too much drag in the water due to it's squarish shape. I'm completely happy with the 10" Tornado in the water but I suspect, based on how popular the S-12 is among Excalibur water hunters, it doesn't really increase drag much at all maybe over the 10" Tornado, both being round. I never use the 10" Tornado on land anymore based on my love for the 12x10, so if I swing a cheap S-12 down the road I'll compare it's drag and performance to the 10" Tornado in the water to see if it'll find a place there.

PS- Pin pointing with the SEFs....The 12x10 is great using the center, but with it and the 15x12 you can get even more precise by using the tip of the coil. Wiggle forward until you just hear the target and it'll be right at the base in the "V" shape at the edge of the coil. In the water I use the back edge of the coil and the base of that "V" shape at the edge there. I stick my big toe against that depression and then guide the scoop along my foot. Works like a charm.

 

[Czhunter]

Wow, that was a great right up. Thanks for all the info! All this will be a big help when I finally get to go out.

 

[Neil]

Thanks jim. I did notice the nut had backed most the way off the threads on the sef coil. Was a little concerned if there may have been an issue with it, but I tightened it down, and seemed to work on an air test o.k....kinda glad to hear thats a common thing on those coils.

That nut is part of the flex connector. Its that plastic piece that keeps the coil cable from bending at to sharp an angle coming out of the coil. It should be kept hand tight but if loose wont effect the coils performance in any way.

Certainly a lot of coils to choose from isnt there? The ones the guys mentioned are all good and I would just base it on how much stuff you have to pick through, how trashy the area is, and get the right sized coil.

I always wished that Fisher would have come out with that great of a selection of coils for the CZ series. If they did, I would probably still have one or two myself, they are superb detectors and like the Sov, built like tanks.

 

[jspoon]

i would probably start out with the 10 inch..... if targets are few and far between i would then put on the larger coil to see if i could get a little more depth..... if the beach is trashy or if there is deep iron under the sand you will want to stick with the 10 inch.... i prefer to hunt in disc mode, disc set at lowest setting, iron mask on, sensetivity straight up 12 oclock, band 1, threshold barely audible, i hunt in fixed position, dig all repeating signals especially the faint or weak ones...... to pinpoint just swing over the target in 2 different directions at right angle of each other and make mental note where center appears to be and diggum up...... with the larger coil depths of 12 inches should be common if the sand is pretty nuetral.... with the wot coil ive dug 15 inch deep dimes,, 2 ft deep pocket knives and cans ... if unit is unstable or falses alot turn the sensetivity down until stable.....

You say you hunt in Disc in fixed, I thought fixed and track only work in AM? Correct me if I'm mistaken.
HH

 

[bootyhoundpa]

yes, spoon i believe you are correct about track and fixed only being releavant to allmetal mode..... there are some that hunt in pinpoint mode while in disc mode .... i was merely mentioning fixed mode to reflect the fact that i dont hunt in pinpoint while in disc mode...sorry forany con fusion...

 

[Neil]

yes, spoon i believe you are correct about track and fixed only being releavant to allmetal mode..... there are some that hunt in pinpoint mode while in disc mode .... i was merely mentioning fixed mode to reflect the fact that i dont hunt in pinpoint while in disc mode...sorry forany con fusion...

cant do that either.

the mode selections for hunting on a sov gt are:

1. disc mode

2. all metal pinpoint mode

3. all metal mode that has a track and fixed option.

can only be in one of three modes at a time.

 

[deepdiger60]

yes, spoon i believe you are correct about track and fixed only being releavant to allmetal mode..... there are some that hunt in pinpoint mode while in disc mode .... i was merely mentioning fixed mode to reflect the fact that i dont hunt in pinpoint while in disc mode...sorry forany con fusion...

cant do that either.

the mode selections for hunting on a sov gt are:

1. disc mode

2. all metal pinpoint mode

3. all metal mode that has a track and fixed option.

can only be in one of three modes at a time.

Exactly Neil