Advice on detectors in red clay areas

whiskynitro · Oct 29, 2016

Tried searching first but came up short so sorry if there are already answers. I finally got a detector to get started off of CL from someone for $50. The detector looked brand new so I think it is working as well as it can. I live in southern IN and at least in my particular location it is heavy with the "concrete" red clay. The detector is an MPX 64 Digital which I know is far from great. Originally I wanted to search for some buried coins from a story I heard as a kid. but honestly I would be happy just finding anything. Even an old tool a farmer lost years ago rather it is worth money or not would make me happy. Would like to find my wedding ring I lost in the yard years ago. Money is always good to find as well to

which I do have some areas I can hunt that have had old farm houses and such on them

So this detector has visual indicators ranging from a nail, bottle cap, ring, up to a 50 cent piece ( the highest tone). On my land the 50 cent icon is always going off and beeping so I ignore it. Now it has found some things (nothing great, mostly trash) but mostly it finds nothing. I assume it must be because of the soil around here being mostly red clay which I know from reading would likely cause that. Not sure I can adjust for that too much with this detector and have tried after reading the manual but still just a lot of false readings. The 50cent tone is supposed to be the one for not detecting the minerals but not the case for me.

Anyone have any suggestions on a good detector that can maybe detect 6"'s or so down and not always go off because of the clay? I would like to be around the $300-400 range. I know Garrett, Fisher and i think Whites seem to be good but would one in particular be best for the clay? I wont ever be submerging it in water although would likely be going over the wet ground ocassionaly. Thanks

Dflan83 · Oct 29, 2016

I think a fisher F11 would do great at 159$ and I would use the rest for a quality pinpointer such as a garrett propointer at 127$. You might be able to get a little better metal detector if you get something used in the 200$ range but definitely get yourself a good pinpointer

DIGGER27 · Oct 29, 2016

Red clay, huh?
You must be at the starting area of that stuff, go down through Kentucky it gets worse, Tennessee is loaded and when you get down to my area of the country, Alabama and our neighbor Georgia...songs have been written about it.

It can limit depth, actually screw up, skew and confuse signals as you get deeper so if you can't find out a way to figure them out it is the same thing....limited depth.
Not that there isn't a whole lot if great stuff shallow because there is, there is just even more to find if you can increase that depth range.

DD coils usually handle this stuff a little better, a bit more expensive option than concentrics even on entry level units but worth it for he best shot at more stuff.

The F2, F11, F22, Euro Tek Pro all are capable and have that DD coil option, all are better than what you have.
There are more, the newer Ace series, and the Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro has lots of great features for the money too.

Red clay can be tricky, even getting to 6" can be hard but the right tool and coil can make that a reality if you pick right.

Good luck.

Mud-puppy · Oct 29, 2016

Out of curiosity I looked up the reviews of this MPX Digital rig...for $50, I think you got what you paid for...those twin 9v's will kill you on the ROI factor for a quick broom shallow cladder though...Just a 100 miles North of you that red clay turns to grey, so its a bit easier to actually find money in that mess...I suppose...

If I had to run one, I'd drop the sense a bit in the red clay and give it a spin, at least you are getting the idea of what this Sport is all about, Hey, we all had to begin somewhere so no harm or criticism intended here...None of us would have recommended that particular rig though..

I bet the thing would find some gold or silver or clad...Probably would easily pay for itself if you get the batts for free that is...just has to be understood and adjusted to your area...My strategy would be to go for shallows and fresh drops and have fun learning about the Sport...If you like it and get addicted, then just upgrade and list that MPX on CL for $75 and let somebody talk you down to $50!...Its got a 5yr warrantee after all! :laughing:

You aint out much...I'd make money with that damned thing if that was all I had...you coulda done a LOT worse...Welcome here to the Forum!~
Mud

metaladdict · Oct 29, 2016

You should buy a detector that has ground balance.(Not automatic ground balance).
That will solve most bad dirt problems,it will cost a little more.
Happy hunting.

whiskynitro · Oct 30, 2016

Thanks everyone for the advice. I guess the good thing about the one for 50 bucks is it is making me much more interested in detecting. I know it is like anything else, you get what you pay for. The pinpointers I was really leaning towards something cheaper but it seems everyone ends up with the garrett later on so may as well spend less in the end and just save up for it.

I also looked into the manual ground balance, DD coils and it sounds to be the way to go for sure. I looked at a few but wow those are pricey with manual balance. maybe I just don't know what to look for. I looked at a site and chose the option for manual and just got $700 and up ones. I'm not to that point yet. Any of the cheaper (ones listed above) Fisher, Euro, Ace have that and maybe just not list it?

And what might define a relic? I like finding things such as old hammers, parts from tractors or whatever but I would like to find coins and jewelry too of course

I just ask cause I have seen some sites say a certain detector is for coins and one may be for relics. I would like a good balance. I figure surely if a detector can find a penny 4 inches down it can find a hammer head that is 6"'s down right? I am probably putting way too much thought into this...

I played with my sensitivity after the first post, well the detectors sensitivity :grin:

It was better and I found some change in the driveway but yeah after x-mas and buying all the stuff for the kids, I need something better to actually have any enjoyment. And now that I have a taste for it I like it.

DIGGER27 · Oct 30, 2016

Not all are $700 with manual GB.
The Land Ranger Pro goes up and down in price depending on who you buy it from.
Usually I would recommend going to the sponsors here but not many are into this brand and the price can get up to the $400+ range with the DD coil.
Many who use top flight detectors and do deal with the sponsors, usually, on this one watch for sales at the big box stores or other venues and go that route.
Examples...
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bounty-Hunter-Land-Ranger-Pro-Metal-Detector/36607442#about

https://www.amazon.com/Bounty-Hunte...id=1477824375&sr=1-1&keywords=land+ranger+pro

There is the Fisher F44.
https://www.amazon.com/Bounty-Hunte...id=1477824375&sr=1-1&keywords=land+ranger+pro

Manual GB, weatherproof, no DD coil but you can use the concentric coil for now, get good with it and eventually find enough coins in the ground to upgrade to that coil if you want in the future.
Just the basic unit is way beyond what you have now.

Ground balance features will be an advantage in mineralized soil, DD coils will handle that better too, but nobody says you must get both or either to have fun and be successful in this hobby.
You just need something better than you have right now.

I used an F2 without any GB or DD coil options in I assume way worse mineralization and probably way more iron problems than you have and still had a blast without that stuff...and found a ton.
$215 for a package with 2 coils and a cheap pinpointer, never regretted it.
Never got super deep in the bad stuff but that was fine, it got deep enough to find enough clad and other great treasure that paid for several others up the road with more features.

Manual GB abilities and DD coils are not miracle workers in and by themselves...they definitely help and are recommended if you can get them but it can get so bad that they aren't as advantageous as you might think.
My F2 could come close to or match the depth of most other much higher priced units around my area that had them in the bad stuff here but I doubt your part of the country is as challenging as my devil dirt.
Red clay can be common in several areas of the country but not in the same amounts with different levels of difficulties.
Where I live, along with the Kudzu problem, it is legendary.

I finally did get into a tool with all those features and got deeper here but I did need to get up to that $700 range to do it...although I got mine way cheaper used.
In my case those 2 features did help but it was just the greater power available on my unit at that mid level price that I believe did the heavy lifting as much as either of them.

Many start out as you did, a lower priced entry level that sometimes didn't work so well but they stayed in the hobby and eventually moved up into other more capable tools with more features.
Baby steps...this is a hobby that has the very real possibility of paying for itself over time after all.
Just because all you could afford for your first car you get when you get your license is a used barely working piece of junk doesn't mean your next one when you get sick of it and ready to upgrade has to be a Corvette...there can be many value oriented affordable and comfortable choices in between.

Jason in Enid · Oct 30, 2016

Not all "red clay" is bad. I know some of that stuff on the east coast is about like detecting through iron filings, but we have red clay here in Oklahoma and is doesn't have a noticeable impact on any detector I have used. It just sucks to dig through!

I think the main problem is with the detector you have. Its going to be fine for modern, shallow clad but is not going to work well for any deep coins that have been there a long time.

metaladdict · Oct 30, 2016

Yeah the mpx is chinese and really isnt much good.
You will do well with main brands from USA or a used Minelab.

whiskynitro · Oct 30, 2016

Good stuff guys and thanks! I did not realize the red clay was so common. I thought only us hoosiers dealt with it but seems to be a pita for a lot. and maybe it's not so bad after all for this hobby and i just need to get used to it.

Yeah I guess anything is a step up from what I have and the car analogy helps. I will definitely be getting something better after xmas. Will also look into the local community too as well and maybe I can score some deals

Mud-puppy · Oct 30, 2016

Still...get out and swing what you have there, use it as a learning tool...Time and gold wait for nobody in particular...you could just hit something awesome and worth big money completely accidental...not all great treasures are deep...
Mud

jonnied1 · Oct 31, 2016

DIGGER27 said:
Not all are $700 with manual GB.
The Land Ranger Pro goes up and down in price depending on who you buy it from.
Usually I would recommend going to the sponsors here but not many are into this brand and the price can get up to the $400+ range with the DD coil.
Many who use top flight detectors and do deal with the sponsors, usually, on this one watch for sales at the big box stores or other venues and go that route.
Examples...
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bounty-Hunter-Land-Ranger-Pro-Metal-Detector/36607442#about

https://www.amazon.com/Bounty-Hunte...id=1477824375&sr=1-1&keywords=land+ranger+pro

There is the Fisher F44.
https://www.amazon.com/Bounty-Hunte...id=1477824375&sr=1-1&keywords=land+ranger+pro

Manual GB, weatherproof, no DD coil but you can use the concentric coil for now, get good with it and eventually find enough coins in the ground to upgrade to that coil if you want in the future.
Just the basic unit is way beyond what you have now.

Ground balance features will be an advantage in mineralized soil, DD coils will handle that better too, but nobody says you must get both or either to have fun and be successful in this hobby.
You just need something better than you have right now.

I used an F2 without any GB or DD coil options in I assume way worse mineralization and probably way more iron problems than you have and still had a blast without that stuff...and found a ton.
$215 for a package with 2 coils and a cheap pinpointer, never regretted it.
Never got super deep in the bad stuff but that was fine, it got deep enough to find enough clad and other great treasure that paid for several others up the road with more features.

Manual GB abilities and DD coils are not miracle workers in and by themselves...they definitely help and are recommended if you can get them but it can get so bad that they aren't as advantageous as you might think.
My F2 could come close to or match the depth of most other much higher priced units around my area that had them in the bad stuff here but I doubt your part of the country is as challenging as my devil dirt.
Red clay can be common in several areas of the country but not in the same amounts with different levels of difficulties.
Where I live, along with the Kudzu problem, it is legendary.

I finally did get into a tool with all those features and got deeper here but I did need to get up to that $700 range to do it...although I got mine way cheaper used.
In my case those 2 features did help but it was just the greater power available on my unit at that mid level price that I believe did the heavy lifting as much as either of them.

Many start out as you did, a lower priced entry level that sometimes didn't work so well but they stayed in the hobby and eventually moved up into other more capable tools with more features.
Baby steps...this is a hobby that has the very real possibility of paying for itself over time after all.
Just because all you could afford for your first car you get when you get your license is a used barely working piece of junk doesn't mean your next one when you get sick of it and ready to upgrade has to be a Corvette...there can be many value oriented affordable and comfortable choices in between.

I saw that Kudzu once on a trip to Atlanta GA. The first thing I thought was, bring back the "Agent Orange"! That Kudzu takes over everything. :shock:

DIGGER27 · Oct 31, 2016

jonnied1 said:
I saw that Kudzu once on a trip to Atlanta GA. The first thing I thought was, bring back the "Agent Orange"! That Kudzu takes over everything.

It can grow up to almost a foot a day, up to 60 feet per season.
It can cut down your hunting on possible great sites.

"The plant that took over the south"

Advice on detectors in red clay areas

whiskynitro

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Dflan83

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DIGGER27

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Mud-puppy

metaladdict

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whiskynitro

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DIGGER27

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Jason in Enid

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metaladdict

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