Originally Posted by tpcollins
I got a Cabelas flyer yesterday and they had a $400 Bounty Hunter Titanium metal detecter on sale for $200. So I started researching and on the metal detecter forums, the Garrett Ace 250 seems like a top beginners detecter at just over $200, the Ace 350 with a few more bells and whistles is just under $300.

Just wondering for those that have them, are they really effective or just another dust collector after a short time?


Depends how much effort you put in, what you want out of it and what areas you have to detect..

Over here in the UK, its a bit of a geeky hobby which attracts some very serious enthusiasts.

Given the rich and colourful history of the UK, making genuine and exciting finds is definitely a possibility and every few years someone seems to find a hoard of gold or silver coins.

That said, the actual detecting is only part of the hobby..

Many enthusiasts spend hours and hours doing research looking for likely sites ie former villages, roads, houses, churches ect..With online aerial photo's now available this research often identifies sites not previously known.

Once they locate a likely site they then have to gain legal access from the land owner, probably striking a deal over any potential finds, although a minority will simply trespass and work the site that way, often at night..

Last edited by Pete E; 03/26/15.

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