so how good is my detector?

Set it up laying on a table that isn't made of metal, then turn it on and turn sensitivity as high as you can and discrimination to lowest setting, then see how many inches it hits penny, dime, nickel, quarter, and maybe a gold ring if you have one.

Then report back here with your findings.

To be honest, if it is new and you can still return it, I would exchange it for a Bounty Hunter model. Bounty Hunter is a sister company of Fisher who is a very reputable metal detector maker. Treasure Hunter is a Chinese brand...

mike1w said:

I have a treasure hunter md 3030. On 1-10, 10 being the perfect most detector, please give me your best rating.
For the record, it was a gift. Beggars can't really be choosers.

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Well, that's a big range if you're comparing all detectors out there. In that regard it's probably a #1 if not lower on your scale…..and obviously this is an opinion based answer. However, if you compare it to only VLF detectors then the rating probably comes up a tad. I've no experience with this exact model of detector and don't know how it compares to the Tracker IV, but if it's even remotely close, I'll rate it a 2 or maybe 3 (being generous), based on my experience with the Tracker IV. The Tracker IV did a phenomenal job I thought for it's cost and build, but comparing it to a machine that has manual GB and many other features really just isn't fair. The only reason I'd not consider it a 1 is due to the fact that the BH series perform better than the Harbor Freight models and BH has some more simplistic models also that could fill in the #1 slot.
In short, you've got a good beginner detector that will probably find you some decent items if you dig every signal, but probably won't give you much depth or good discrimination. I'd not doubt it does a good job on coinshooting.
JM2C.

On Amazon it sells for $151.00 and the Garrett Ace 150 is $152. Trade it for the 150 if you can. Garrett will stand behind their product if you have an issue and the 150 will more than likely perform better. I am not rating yours because I have never used one but I wouldn't hesitate to trade it for the Garrett. You will be much happier in the long run.

I would say a 1.

Start with good equipment, it will make all the difference.

You can find used detectors reasonably prices. Give some of the forum sponsors a call.

I would sell that and use whatever you can get out of it towards a real detector.

When I have the money, I will probably look for a new one. Given that a sensitive feeling family member gave my current one to me, who would find out if I sold it, and be upset, possibly even backhandedly vindictive, I won't sell my current one before I do get a new one. That may not make sense, but one can't choose one's family, or their emotional consistency.
Thank you for your advice. In the meantime, I will have to "settle" for the detector I have now.

Do an air test as I described in my first post, it may turn out to work decent. I don't think any of us has actually seen one in action.

Although it may be somewhat limited dont let that discourage you. The important part is to get out there and learn the basics anyway and have fun while doing it. And anything you find with it you can put toward an upgrade if you decide to. You can still find stuff with it and thats important.

Don't let the price tag depress you, the location you hunt is the most important factor, not how much money your machine is worth. They all detect metal, but it has to be in the ground in the first place. Sometimes discrimination is your best friend either, it just convinces you not to dig stuff, when you don't feel like digging much. No detector can tell you 100% what's in the ground. People have been hitting the same old sites, for decades, and still finding old stuff, silver coins. Lot of people running very expensive machines, still picking stuff up, where they've been hunting for years.

We don't find post-worthy stuff every hunt. My last few hunts, only two zinc pennies, lots of iron stuff (pipe fittings mostly), some brass. Not worth taking pictures, or getting excited over.

Couple of good places to start, are your own yard, and family owned yards, permission pretty much guarantied, plus you get some practice digging pretty holes, filling them in nice. You don't really want to tear up your own yard, but the owner is very forgiving as you learn. Out in public places, it's an important skill, if you want to go back and hunt. A good transition from your yard, to public land, is the grassy medians, a strip of grass between the curb and sidewalks. Those sidewalk strips are usually owned by the property owner, but the city has the right to dig them up, utilities are allowed to use them too. Most homeowners just keep them mowed, and accept that they are part of the right-of-way.

pescadore said:

On Amazon it sells for $151.00 and the Garrett Ace 150 is $152. Trade it for the 150 if you can. Garrett will stand behind their product if you have an issue and the 150 will more than likely perform better. I am not rating yours because I have never used one but I wouldn't hesitate to trade it for the Garrett. You will be much happier in the long run.

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Although I too have not used the metal detector in question, I have to agree with this post 100% -

The ACE150 is a very capable unit which goes deep on very small targets & Garrett are the dux nuts to deal with - - Just add the 9x12 Concentric Coil later & it will add inches -

Whether you have a $100 or $1,000 machine, take a few coins and pieces of jewelry to your back yard, bury them, and label each spot. Swing your coil over each one and make a note of how each target sounds or what is displayed on the screen.

Try burying the targets deeper and deeper to see how far your detector can go.

Have a friend bury them and then practice trying to find them.

Having practiced this and knowing your machine, will greatly help you when you really hunt. You won't struggle as much to pinpoint the exact location of the target. You won't get hung up on as many false signals. etc..

For what its worth, last summer my sons $70' bounty hunter found more coins than my $700 Garret Sea Hunter. You just never know where a target will be hidden.

*** Also, after google searching for your MD's reviews, several things stuck out. Run the MD in all-metal mode. This means do not notch-out or discriminate a certain kind of target. In doing so, you may be eliminating good targets.