Garret pin pointer for finding gold

Hi All (and Gavin)thanks for the invite,I dont usually do the forum thing but as a keen gold fevered man from the Wairarapa(yes I know there is no gold in the Wairarapa!)I am keen to hear a bit of expert advise.
I started over the last few years panning in marginal fossicking areas but ran into a real old dude doing rather well at Moonlight Creek using a gold bug detector ,I was impressed and really got me considering this as a good way of finding courser gold so I bought a Garret pin pointer in the hope of finding something while diving the river there.
Is this a good option for me? Any tips?Or do I really need a bigger detector or am I wasting my time,be keen to hear anyones thoughts.
Cheers Mal

I purchased a Garret pin pointer a good few years back to help me pin point nuggets I was detecting with my my GPX 4500. Unfortunately I wasn’t impressed. It failed to detect small sub-gram nuggets unless they were touching the pointer, and then only marginally. I think most of these devices are targeted at coin and relic detecting where the metal object is a lot larger.

I’m sure it could be useful if there’s decent sized nuggets in the area, but most nuggets seem to be sub-gram in my experience.

Someone here might know about newer pin pointers that are better for gold detecting?

BTW: Welcome aboard! And if you’d like to change your username, it’s easy to do so.

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@Mal might find this interesting - /t/nokta-pinpointer-any-good-for-smaller-gold/575

Thanks for that,I have tested my new pin pointer in sand and it will detect my pottle with about a gram of fine gold in it and is good at about 40mm away so hopefully the lastest model is a bit more sensitive.
Hopefully get back down late spring and give it a go.Thanks for that
Mal

The Nokta pointer is only waterproof to 1m.

My experience is with Minelab Pro Find 25, and Vibra Probe 580.

Here are my reviews:
(out of 5 stars)

The Minelab is excellent :star::star::star::star:
:satellite: Range: 20cm
:zap: Sensitivity: Just under 5mm cube. Adjustable but I kept it on max at all times, so didn’t really see the purpose of having the adjustment.
:battery: Battery: 9v Ages
:flashlight: Yes (apparently can be switched off for nighthawking :smiling_imp:)
:notes: Beep: Yes
:vibration_mode: Vibrator: Yes
:umbrella2: Water: Water resistant. Can be made waterproof to 10m
:zzz: Auto off: Yes after 8min

Vibra Probe 580 :star::star::star:
:satellite: Range: 12cm
:zap: Sensitivity: Just under 5mm cube
:battery: Battery: 9v So far, it seems to be ages.
:flashlight: Light: No
:notes: Beep: No
:vibration_mode: Vibrator: Yes
:umbrella2: Water: Waterproof to 10m
:zzz: Auto off: Yes after 1min, very annoying, too short.
Comments: On/Off is by tilting to vertical, this is annoying as it will turn on or off when you don’t want it to. Probe tip is quite long at 14.5cm.

I’ve heard the Garret Pro Pointer AT is excellent. Also waterproof to 3m.
It has a ruler on the side, and strap loop clip.

I’m experimenting with making my own pointer, and I’ll definitely ensure it detects 100-200g gold pieces.

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Very classy review indeed @GoldPandemic (just had to use one of those @… I might get a medal😊)

I’ve got a Deteknix X Pointer Diver water proof to 30 metres supposedly and it’s yellow.
Mine has the occasional annoying habit of taking ages to auto tune when turned on. Not always though and it was pre loved when I received it so it may be faulty.
Never tried it on fine gold but I would have my doubts as to it suitability for that manly due to depth.
I would say it would be approx 30-40% less sensitive than my standard Garrett Pro Pointer.

To stop the startup twitch, touch it to the ground away from the hole (and make sure your coil isn’t too close if you’re using an Excal).
I seem to recall the last time I opened my X Pointer (I tend to do this with stuff as soon as the warranty runs out), there were a couple of trimpots, one of which would likely adjust sensitivity, although you’d have to try it to weigh up the pros and cons of an easily excitable pointer.

Pinpointers are inherently restricted in detection range by design - the clue is in the name. No point trying to locate a target in a hole while the pointer is reaching out and picking a tin can two feet away.

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@mudwiggle lol my holes are 2feet wide, I need a pointer to tell me if I need to dig deeper, to the left, right etc.
Though lately I’ve been hand sifting in front of my gpx coil, sometimes it’s easier than dealing with the pinpointer.

I will try that startup tip next time I’m using the Yellow pointer, cheers… I seem to be favouring the Garrett presently.

Thanks for the feed back guys!
Really keen to try out my pin pointer now, scrapping out bedrock crevices in fast flowing river channels that haven’t been dredged,find a massive drop zone with stacks of nuggets and retire to the south Island! Thats my plan…lol!
Cheers Mal

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Let us know how you go.
Yep, I agree with your idea. I’ve lived in Auckland for 15 years, but not sure if I can handle South Island winters. Perhaps I could summer over in Nelson, otherwise I’ll have to go to Coromandel.

Now you just hit the nail on the head as to why I like Coromandel and Auckland and further north - its the temperature - Global Warming is a myth as far as I am concerned going by how cold I have felt these last three or four years down here despite all the ice melting!

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