Coolidge Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 First hello, new forum member here glad to meet you all.So it looks like I'll be re-locating to the Reno area in a few months and I want to buy a good nugget shooting machine. I already have an AT Gold I purchased for small gold chains on NJ coast beaches but have always heard these GPX are the pro machine for nugget hunting so I'm checking out the GPX5000. It looks heavy that's one concern I have. Can that control box be hip mounted? How heavy are the coils?I have been watching some youtube videos. It appears the GPX5000 can get a signal on gold down to a certain size but some of the VLF's can get even smaller gold so I guess the GPX has its limits when it comes to nugget size, but I'm assuming on the nuggets it can detect it goes deeper than VLF gold machines?How does the AT Gold stack up against other VLF gold detectors in its category?Charles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whylee Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Welcome, I am in Reno myself. Its a great central location to live, there are some great areas in any direction within 1-2 hours from here. For the most part a good VLF will find you smaller gold. The AT Gold is a very good detector. It will be a nice to also have a PI machine to add to your arsenal. With both you are pretty much set with the addition of some different coils for each. The GPX is a heavier machine, but its performance more than makes up for it. There are things out there that can help in the weight dept, but pretty soon you are hooked and straped with so much other stuff that it makes it difficult just trying to dig.The biggest thing is to learn your detectors, and get into some good areas. Look me up when you get here, I am always looking to get out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredmason Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 two gold hunting detectors will do anything you want nugget hunting...a vlf nugget hunter and a pulse induction....does not have to be the top of the line minelab either...but it would be nice!fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coolidge Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 Welcome, I am in Reno myself. Its a great central location to live, there are some great areas in any direction within 1-2 hours from here. For the most part a good VLF will find you smaller gold. The AT Gold is a very good detector. It will be a nice to also have a PI machine to add to your arsenal. With both you are pretty much set with the addition of some different coils for each. The GPX is a heavier machine, but its performance more than makes up for it. There are things out there that can help in the weight dept, but pretty soon you are hooked and straped with so much other stuff that it makes it difficult just trying to dig.The biggest thing is to learn your detectors, and get into some good areas. Look me up when you get here, I am always looking to get out.Thanks Whylee, that's what I was thinking Reno looks like a good central location. When I lived up in Portland, OR it was a 5-6 hour drive to go prospecting so it will be nice to be closer. I did some sluicing/panning in Bear river off I80 a few years ago while on vacation and I'll probably do so more of that too. I was hoping to buy a small dredge but I read California has since banned dredging or rather they refuse to issue the permits. :(Do you guys use quads to explore further out from the parking areas? I guess I'm asking regarding say a site like Rye Patch. I was checking this weekend and it seems like the areas near the roads are pretty well all under claim.CharlesPS: here's some NJ beach nuggets I dug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredmason Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 very nice finds...the thing about parks and beaches is that the area gets re-seeded...nuggets don't.fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coolidge Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 True but its got to be pretty exciting to dig a gold nugget. I tell you the good old days of beach hunting may be coming to an end. With the high price of gold we are seeing a LOT of stainless, titanium, and tungstung rings these days and far fewer gold rings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.