Whites or Nautilus??

Rincon4x4 · Nov 4, 2007

I am wanting a detector that is simple to use and will go fairly deep. I will mainly be coin and relic hunting. I am deadset on either a Whites or a Nautilus. I have been looking at the Whites MXT and the Matrix M6 models. I have also been looking at the Nautilus DMC IIB model. Fancy readouts are not a must but are nice and I do not want to break the bank with my purchase. I will not be doing any beach hunting but mostly old fields, old home sites, etc. I have read good things on all three of these models and just can't decide on which one is right for me.

Are the Nautilus detectors any good at coin/jewelry hunting??

Any help on this decision would be wonderful. Thanks.

RelicHound · Nov 4, 2007

not sure on either of those detectors although i hear great things,the MXT a good all a round detector and the nautilus a good relic machine but other than what ive heard i dont know much about em. but have you taken a look at tesoro? sounds like a tejon would fit your needs and save you some money. its a bit frustrating at first {as are most machines} but youll love how light it is and the sensitivity and depth of this machine is awesome.

UK Brian · Nov 5, 2007

Nautilus is good just about anywhere except on the wet sand.
Decide if you can handle the weight or be prepared to mount on a Whites shaft.
It will kill most machines for depth as long as the site is not to mineralised.
And don't get the DMC IIB. Its the deepest in the range but not the easiest to use.
The IIBA has the coil balancing handled by the electronics. If you get the IIB you have to do it yourself and reset again as the temperature changes. For the fraction more depth you gain its hardly worth it.

Brian

Sphelt · Nov 5, 2007

Have you had a bad experience with other brands? Whites are good and the Nautilus is an excellent relic machine, but there are other great machines for you to consider. Fisher, Tesoro and Minelab all have great machines that would meet your requirements.

Canewrap · Nov 5, 2007

Re: Whites or Nautilus?

I have an MXT and relic hunt with it. Once you get used to it, the MXT will hunt almost deeper than you want to dig. Don't get too dependant on the TID display though, as it will only give its readout based on it programming and will often be inaccurate on target ID, but then TID is an inexact science anyway. The thing you need to be aware of is the weight of both machines. They are both on the heavy side and will be tough on middle age shoulders and elbows, unless you use some kind of harness support. I also have a couple of Tesoros that I like to use to locate CW camps, where you might be swinging over a lot of ground for a lot of hours without many breaks. My favorite in that regard has become the Tesoro Eldorado (which they unfortunately don't make anymore, but used ones can be had) because you can get a 12X10 concentric coil for it, which gives even more depth. However, if you're after a new machine, the replacement for the Eldorado is the Tesoro Vaquero.

Rincon4x4 · Nov 5, 2007

Well what about the Tesoro Tejon as RelicHound mentioned?? Would it be worth purchasing for coin/jewelry and relic hunting for Civil War items?? I do not plan on using it on the beach at all. Mostly old fields, old house sites, etc. I don't have to go SUPER DEEP but I do want some depth on the machine.

Canewrap · Nov 5, 2007

The only complaint I've heard about the Tejon is that it tends to get noisy in bad ground. I know a relic hunter that's been at it for last 14 years and he's found a ton of stuff with his Tejon and even wore it out and had to get a replacement from the factory. Some people love it and some people don't. To me it sounded so much like the White's MXT in its sensitivity that I didn't need another machine to tame in this bad red Bama dirt. I got the Eldorado because it seemed like it would act more like the Cibola I have and I love that little Cibola, it just doesn't have the depth I need for relic hunting, so I gave it to my son he's making good use of it. Sorry I can't say more about the Tejon, but I haven't used it and only know what I've been told.

Sphelt · Nov 5, 2007

The Tejon is one of the finest relic machines on the market. The dual discrimination, depth and the lifetime warranty all combine to make it a great value.

RelicHound · Nov 5, 2007

the tejon can and will be a bit noisy in bad ground but you get use to it,youll be able to "listen past" the chatter and find the solid tone,you can make that chatter disappear with a lower sens. and higher disc. but youll miss alot of targets. its kinda the same thing as using a machine with a thresh hold for the first time,that constant hum will drive ya nuts at first but you get use to it and dont even hear it after awhile. the tejon does take a bit of getting use to{same with any machine} in school yards and parks i find the tejon a bear to use but then again it wasnt made for swingin around the monkey bars :lol:

if youll be hunting mainly open fields looking for relics and want more then enough capability of finding jewelry and coins i think the tejon is the ticket for ya. you can also get the 5.75 coil which will tame it a bit if you do decide to hunt local parks and school grounds.

Shenandoah Digger · Nov 6, 2007

If you want a simple, deep relic machine--

Get the Tesoro Vaquero. It's easy to operate, and has very similar depth to the Tejon. It is not as deep as the Nautilus, but is much lighter, easier to operate, and a 9 volt battery lasts about 20 hours. It's the only 5 star rated detector on the market I believe. Can't be beat.

EagleEyes · Mar 6, 2013

Nautilus LF.. old manual >>

Hello, just signed up on this forum this evening. I currently have a Whites MX with the 980 coil and a Nautilus LF I just purchased. Does anyone here have a Nautilus LF (made back in the 1970's) manual or can make a copy of theirs??
Thanks..
EagleEyes

Whites or Nautilus??

Rincon4x4

New Member

RelicHound

UK Brian

Senior Member

Sphelt

Senior Member

Canewrap

New Member

Rincon4x4

New Member

Canewrap

New Member

Sphelt

Senior Member

RelicHound

Shenandoah Digger

New Member

EagleEyes

Junior Member

Similar threads