Gold Nugget Detector comparisons - evaluating the Garrett Axiom, the SDC 2300 and Gold Monster 1000
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- Опубликовано: 14 окт 2022
- I often get asked often about comparing nugget detectors, so I decided to do a limited comparison of three popular metal detectors designed for gold: The new Garret Axiom, Minelab's SDC 2300 and Minelab's Gold Monster 1000. This is not a depth test but a test of what the detector can see, both in the way of tiny nuggets and also hot rocks. If you want my discussion of how deep a detector can see, take a look at my video on detector depth at: • How deep will your det...
For those who want to learn more about Prospecting and finding gold check out my book, Fists full of Gold. It’s an encyclopedia of everything on the topic of prospecting. It’s available on from High Plans Prospectors. (Affiliate) You can find it at:
highplainsprospectors.com/pro...
For even more information on prospecting, minerals, gems and other related information you can also check out my website at:
nevada-outback-gems.com/prospe...
The Prospecting and Mining Journal magazine can be found at:
www.icmj.com 
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Chris is a first class with a top knotch program he deserves more subscribers
Thanks for the kind words. More subscribers all in good time.
Love that the gold monster is silent until you hit a target. I don't know that I could listen to those other detectors squeal relentlessly for hours.
I like the gold monster.
Boy Chris, people always talk trash about air tests, but the fact is....If your detector cant hear the nugget in an air test , it certainly will not hear it under ground.
I wish you had shown the latest version of the gold bug 2 against the GM1000 , and really stirr things up 😁 Im pretty sure my 5000 would have heard the .077 on the surface.....
Good video as always , and thanks for taking the time. I hope people appreciate your efforts like I do.
I used to own a 5000 and if you lived in northern Nevada, I'd take up that friendly bet, just for grins. I also appreciate your efforts and enjoy your videos.
Unfortunately, that isn't totally right. Just the other day I found a thin gold chain on the beach with the TDI Pro with 15" Nugget Finder Evolution. Gave a very weak signal, barely a waver of the threshold. Out of the ground I couldn't hear it at all. Maybe the conductive saltwater sand helped boost the signal a bit. I always just assume that I get about an inch or 2 more depth across the board in the ground, versus air test results. With a PI of course.
Excellent Comparison Video. Thank you 🙏🙏🙏
Glad it helped
Thank you for this video, it helped me better understand the VLF vs Pulse detectors. Your right about detectors are like tools. I now see its best to have both types.
Glad it helped
Hello Chris love watching all your videos. Your very good at Professional prospecting great stuff
Thanks for the kind words.
Another great video Chris.
Glad you enjoyed it - lots of detectors out there..... Did Cal ever get one?
Between Jeff Willams, TwoToes and Chris Ralph the past ten years has paid off…….. There are truly Fists Full of Gold out there!!
Yes, and I can't wait for the snow to melt so I can get out there again.
Chris,
Many of your reviews, particularly this one helps me make decisions about products
that I am interested in but have not had hands-on experience. While some people
may complain about the amount of detail you cover in your video review, I consider
them a great blessing, even though not everything you cover pertains to the questions
I may have. In particular I have a gpz but am considering buying the sdc which is new
news to me.
I consider the sdc to be a great companion for my gpz and have carefully considered the
6000 and now the Axiom. They are all amazing machines, but what you showed me
about the sdc vs the Axiom helped me make up my mind between the two. You considered
their ability to remove hot rocks fairly similar. But what I heard was much more pronounced.
I feel that buying a detecting machine should be decided on the ground it will be used on. For
where I live, it is all about the hot rocks, and if one machine will eliminate them, that is
what I need because we have so many.
Also I believe that how a particular machine discriminates and handles hot ground, influences
how small a nugget it can “See”. I believe that is why some machines work “here” better than “there”
while others read differently.
You put a lot of time and effort into your videos, I really appreciate them.
Thanks
Ray
Thank you for the kind words. Yes some complain they are too long but it is a very small percentage. They want a one minute video that gives them exactly what they want to know. Most of my viewers are like you and want to learn.
Excellent video Chris! Great job! Your right on the money, I have the 1,000 and 2300, the 1,000 is hot rock happy and the 2300 is quite as a kitten just purs along. Really good job on this video. Dan B
Thanks for the kind words and Glad you enjoyed the video.
This is great knowledge for us Chris thanks lots!!! I always wanted to know how small the detector’s detect!
Happy to help! Glad you enjoyed the video.
Chris, thanks for this presentation and no worries about the aircraft overhead, you must be in the Sierra Nevada where there are many air traffic routes which is common. My home is the Sierra but regrettably living elsewhere.
I am just getting into prospecting and have yet to acquire a specialized detector unit like you are using. Thanks again and I will be checking back.
Yep, in the northern part of the Sierra Nevada. An AFB is not close but not that far away either......
Have a great weekend !! Drywashing myself too 💪💨💨
You too!!
Thank you sir. Have a great day.
You too!
Hi Chris. Brian and Cora here. Dawson Creek BC. We're going to take 3 weeks and go camping up the Alaska highway this May 2024, and planning on panning, detecting and getting some dirt under our nails. Watching your videos to determine what to buy to take along for this. Looks like the Gold Monster is a good one, as well as the 2300 or Axiom. What I get from this video is: Use a P.I. for nuggets, and a VLF for flakes. I would prefer to find a couple of nuggets instead of a couple of flakes. Please don't think of me as selfish, gold is gold. But for amount of effort, nuggets wins out. Thanks for the videos. Now to find your book. Best wishes in 2024.
What's Next? Let's Go!
Nuggets vs flakes - its just not that simple. Some places have flakes but very few nuggets. Last time I was in Alaska (2021) I was prospecting a district that produced loads of flakes and very few nuggets. I prospected for the gold that was there and got 175 flakes which totaled a little over 1/2 ounce.
Good video mate. I have the ATX and on tiny gold it still gets them. Sound isn't loud but as you know sound is everything.
Glad you enjoyed the video.
Thanks for the comparison of the newest Axiom vs. SDC-2300, Great comparison video, was surprised that the SDC handled your hottest hot rock better than the Axiom.
The difference is slight, and such hot rocks are rare. Overall, the Axiom does great at ignoring hot rocks.
The shirt was a smart idea Ralph
Thanks!
I bought my GM 1000 to find small patches to drywash, its mighty good at small gold and that's where I'm headed with the drywasher.
An excellent idea.
Just so you know people an Aussie guy just picked up a 0.07g little nugget from NSW, AUSTRALIA with the new Axiom. So it works and it was underground.
Sam, you act like I said the Axiom was not a good detector - I never said that! You probably well know that the shape and thickness of a nugget is a big factor in determining how well a detector can see it.
@@ChrisRalph No you're overthinking my words and putting words into my mouth I never said. You attempted to try get a 0.07g which it didn't register which is completely fine however I just wanted your community also to know that the same nuggets have been found with the device. Simple mate.
I wonder why they don't have a combo machine. Hunt in PI and when you get a signal switch to VLF to see if it is likely iron. This might be handy where there are lots of human trash.
That would be cool if you could just plug in a different chip for a different job instead of having 2 or 3 different machines.
Isn't the 7000 kinda of like that? I mean technically it's neither but in essence does both jobs well?
Detectors are different enough that they are different designs, and slight mods to software or a plug in chip is not enough. Its like asking why can't I have one car that gets 50 miles to the gallon but can also a 9 second quarter mile at the drag strip and also haul my family of 8 around for shopping errands. Like very different cars, the detectors are very different too.
@@ChrisRalph What I ws thinking was build a VLF that uses the same coil as the PI and have a second circuit that one could switch to.
It would be an extra circuit board in the housing. I have a Tesorro Compadre that would weigh next to nothing without the coil, shaft and housing that would already be there in the PI portion.
@@DannyB-cs9vx run with it Danny!
Thanks for doing the comparison even though it wasn't something you were driven to do.
Glad you liked it!
Chris, I saw on a Garrett Axiom video that it has duel ground balance where it can be balanced on the ground as well as the hotrock. You video doesn't show that being done. Has the Axiom been ground balanced on the hotrock as well as the surrounding soil? Phil
Initially my prototype Axiom did not have that feature. That's why I did not use it. I have since upgraded the software.
Chris have you tried the Makro Gold Kruzer, & if so what are your thoughts on this gold detector?
I talk about them on another video. I cannot compare every metal detector in the world, I dont own a copy of every metal detector.
nice video, but what setting of sensitivity did you have the SDC in. on 5 mine would pick up the smallest nugget all day.
it was 4/5. mine is really unstable on 5/5.
Outstanding video, Chris. How do you like the GPX6000? I wonder how it stacks up to the SDC and the Axiom.
I dont own a GPX6000 and have never run one. So I cant say much about it.
@@ChrisRalph We should talk. How can I get a hold of you?
I enjoyed this episode of gold nugget detector comparisons. Did the Gold Monster indicate Ferrous over the hot rocks?
Yes, it did indicate ferrous.
@@ChrisRalph That's good so you don't need to dig the hot rocks. While it beeps over hot rocks, you may have mentioned that the Gold Monster indicated that the target was ferrous. Which is just as useful as the more expensive tools that don't beep at all.
Hi Chris,
I also prefer to find small gold and hot-rocks rather than finding no hot-rocks but no gold either... It all depends on the area and what I'm looking for.
Thanks a million for all the great info you put out there and I love your book (I would really love to be able to download the color pictures that had to be printed in black and white due to cost; it would really help with some of the chapters).
I too thought about that especially with rock identification.
@@leeskillings2172 yeah, exactly my thoughts 😉👍
As I do recommend in the book, get a color mineral identification book, several are recommended in the appendix.
@@ChrisRalph Hi Chris, that's what I did, have a few of them and they're quite helpful.
Anyways, thanks again for all your help, support and suggestions, much appreciated 👍
Wishing you a great weekend/sunday and looking forward to another one of your videos soon!
@@007CarpeDiem same here just came in the mail.
well done !!!!!!
Thanks - pulled the trailer out of Cromberg today. Weather getting colder, lots of relatives arriving in the near term. Not many opportunities for a while.
👍👍👍
Watching your Hot rock video now !!!!
One thing to add Chris, is which coil the Axiom is running. The Axiom with the 11 X 7 DD might see the .077 nugget.
At the time I filmed this, I did not have a DD version of the 11x7, I do now and will do some testing. Also, as the SDC runs a mono, I wanted to keep the detectors as comparable as possible.
Chris is the GOAT
Thanks!
Thank you for the comparison. All three have there plus and minuses..Oh by the way. It's probably better to wear blaze orange when in the woods during hunting season and probably would make a better fashion statement. But that lime green looks good on you though 😂 a little Rodney Dangerfield humor
I'm just not a high fashion type of guy...
does the gold monster show the hot rocks on the gold side ? or does it go on the iron side ?
Hot rocks are indicated on the iron side, but its complex and not as simple as you might think. See my video on hot rocks: ruclips.net/video/XQsUFSfLBHE/видео.html
@@ChrisRalph thank you, I'm going to watch right now
do you switch the coil on the sdc. ???
Its possible but not easy.
I think orange is a better color, that one you're wearing looks more like a sunny spot in the tree line, that moves around. If I took a shot, like on opening hunting day, it would be at the brown legs.
If a hunter shoots at "sunny spots" he has too many problems to count.
@@ChrisRalph yip, they certainly do. Remember, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas? Same applies out in Bigfoot territory.
For me the information that the GM1000 finds 50mg gold pieces was important. To what depth would I have been interested. 💰
Take a look at my video on how deep your detector will go. There are many factors involved.
Thanks Chris. I bought a better metal detector because of your video.
Glad I could help
Hi Chris from down here in 'th' outback of northwestern Az.near Oatman/ Laughlin
area. 've' just finished viewing/enjoying 'yer , Goldmonster, vs. sdc,2300 machine, comparison vid , , , , most informative!!!!, , ,& of great informational value to re; which Minelab m.d.to procure to upgrade from my arcane 'good 'ol' ,,,, still fully functional( I treat my precision instruments with extreme caution& consideration) . .Whites 'D' series machine , , , ,, , YES, , the same one I referenced in my recently posted comment re; the first vid of yours I'd encountered/viewed, and was SO greatly impressed by. , , ,AND SO Very much appreciate your notification,,, response to!! After extensive ,utube m.d.' ng vid, viewing/research,, I've become quite impressed with both machines, , , , favoring the 2300. , , , , , however hearing your opinion, ,
RE; which of these machines would be the best multi- purpose performer as a serious nugget
locater w/ exceptional depth/ 'hot soil' & junk discrimination capabilities , , would possibly,
make an acceptable upgrade?? Also could you present an info. vid comparing 'th' Manticore to 'th' 2300??? I ,know , , ,I know,,, I don't ask for much. , , ,do I ?!! BUT you're the most CREDIBLE, , qualified, , Minerologist/prospector / metal detector, , specialist I've encountered on line !!
And I'm anxiously, aspiring to procure your book!!! THANK YOU IMMENSELY!!!!!
First, I am not a detector dealer with all the different detector models in stock to try. I dont own and I've never used a Manticore so I cant comment on them.
The manticore is designed as a multipurpose coin/relic/nugget detector, but it makes compromises when it tries to do everything. It will hit on all the hot rocks just like the gold monster. The SDC 2300 has NO discrimination capability at all - but it will ignore nearly all of the hot rocks the manticore sees. There is no one "perfect" machine that does everything great.
Choosing a detector is not a simple question, as there are many factors to consider, including your budget, and the type of detecting you might do.
Please watch my video on selecting a detector for yourself. See: ruclips.net/video/EF4oFvSHbJo/видео.html
Quick question for anyone. While the Gold Monster 1000 picks up all the hot rocks, doesn't it have a ferrous metal "meter" to give you a idea that you are detecting a rock with a lot of iron content?
Yes, but its not that simple - these hot rocks can give readings that bounce around, giving confusing readings, especially if there are multiple hot rocks close to each other or you are only swinging your coil near the hot rock and not right over it. See my video on hot rocks at: ruclips.net/video/XQsUFSfLBHE/видео.html
👍👍
Glad you enjoyed the video.
if you ground balance on a hot rock, will your detector lose its ability to see the gold?
It will be less sensitive but will not completely loose its ability to see the gold.
Since the SDC was developed where most hot rocks live……….Minelab did good at developing a good machine…. I just love I don’t have to carry it while hiking…..
I like my SDC too. Its a fine detector.
👍
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video.
Great video Chris, but I am pretty sure the Minelab GPX 6000 will hear all of those nuggets. I agree too that the Axiom will be a great entry level Pulse Induction detector. I also agree with Adam that the 5000 would have heard most of them as well. I do sell the Axiom as well as Minelab so my comment is not dealer generated. Cheers and thanks for the video
Everyone who reads this comment, I give Bill my highest recommendation as a dealer and he's a good guy and excellent person to do business with.
That said, I've never run a 6000, so I cant really comment on that. I also tested these detectors on hot rocks and we'd see how the 6000 does at rejecting hot rocks too. We'll just have to get together one of these days and give it a whirl! As far as the 5000 however, I ran that detector for years and I have a very good feel for it. There is no doubt the 5000 was a big improvement on earlier GP model detectors, but I sold my 5000 because when I had both the SDC and the 7000, because between the two, they pretty much did everything better. There is no doubt in my mind that the SDC is more sensitive on smaller gold and the 7000 will punch deeper on the larger stuff. In the early days of the SDC and the 7000, I ran tests against the 5000 and some were pretty eye opening. That's why I sold my 5000. No doubt the 5000 would have heard the largest nugget (a quarter gram), but where after that it would have missed out, I am more skeptical.
Stay happy dear sir
Thank you, I will
Chris definitely has it right. These are tools, period.
Yep.
I wonder how well my extra heavy ATX would do on that tiny gold 🤠
I'm not sure....
Not 2 good
Gold Nuggets.
Platinum nuggets?
Is the SDC a PI?
Yes. The SDC2300 is Pulse Induction.
@@goldfools5445 Thank you,Im fairly new to detecting even though ive had my Garrett Apex for 2 years now,i havent really used it much as i do alot of prospecting mostly with conventional means but evenually when i get out west i want to add detecting to my arsenal.
@@s.d.iprospecting4359 metal detecting is a very rewarding way to prospect for gold.
I highly mineralised ground where gold is found in nuggets and specimens a PI detector will be more productive than a VLF. VLFs do have their place in shallow bedrock and milder clays and tailing piles, but the PI detector will pay it forward and be more pleasurable to use.
@@goldfools5445 Im gonna be mostly sweeping bedrock in washes,as i plan on gearing up for drywashing in the winter months in AZ,at least that is my plan.I prospect and live in NC
Best of luck to you.
make a comparison with gpz 7000 and Axiom Garrett
Likely eventually I will.
Yah. Your in the woods of California. I can hear the mosquitoes buzzing around your microphone. 😂
It was actually flies, and they weren't on me, they were on the camera because that's where the microphone was. I have no idea why.
I have abou 20 detectors now. NONE of them find gold, Lol. I guess I have to actually use them?
There are so many variables in detecting size, shape, depth, soil conditions. It is a game of hide and seek.
Small gold may be not as good as no gold. How much work do you want to do for a dollar? This is likely where dry washers shine.
If you do find one small piece, there may be more that are un detectible.
This is why detectors as dry washer go well together. A detector can find a hot spot and the dry washer can clean it out fully. I have done this many times.
You may need a Flak Jacket to protect yourself from some that won't accept your analysis.
I can take it.
Yes, he failed to mention that while the Gold Monster beeped over hot rocks, the display was indicating ferrous metal. So the user would not dig the hot rocks up anyway, just the same as the more expensive units.
Yes, but it bounces around sometimes on hot rocks, especially if you are not right over the center of the rock. The PI detectors dont indicate ferrous or not, they are just silent and no response.
We all know that you're Minelab guy.
Testing a Garrett is out of your league. Both the Atx and Axiom can be tuned to avoid hot rocks.
But hey. You're a Minelab guy.
Lol! funny stuff. You should call Garrett and tell them you know more about things than they do, because I helped the engineers at Garrett test the Axiom in the pre-release test phase.
Ground balance on the hot rock to eliminate it.
the gm didnt give a different tone. telling you to dig. if you use tiny pieces of aluminum foil. they sound like gold. ,all i have is the gm 1000. ,usually use the discrimination button. ,no beep in discrimination. mode i dont dig. ,even the gold/and iron will beep. be out next weekend. i'm sure you know this about the gm 1000. have a good day. 👍👍👍.
What do you do when your GM1000 jumps around in discrimination mode? (beeping sometimes and not beeping other times. That is a very common thing.
@@ChrisRalph i dig. it comes cause the gm doesnt know. or switch to auto 1. look at the display. the processor. is pretty good. have a good day.
Five minutes ( 5 ) could have been spent on everything, damn it!
I disagree.
Do you mean 0.267g, 0.112g, 0.077g, and 0.05g? Because that's not what you're saying.
There it is, halfway throught the video.
You are unclear, because .267g could be either grams or grains.
@@ChrisRalph During the first half of the video you repeatedly said zero point seven seven and zero point five when it seems you meant zero point zero seven seven and zero point zero five. That's what was confusing. The writing halfway through cleared it up.
So a cheaper price metal detectors are not good to find nuggets of gold. You need a top expensive kind. Right
You've never found a single nugget in your life but you are the world's leading expert. Hilarious!
@@ChrisRalph what. I am asking a question. I'm new about this stuff. Maybe you didn't understand my question
So you were asking a question..... Right. I believe that one.
Now did you think that in my response above I was just honestly acknowledging that you had asked a question or did you think I was being sarcastic? I was just acknowledging you had asked a question.
If you want to learn more about selecting a potential detector, check out my video on the subject - ruclips.net/video/SqwkpH9LZIM/видео.html
The cheap ones are OK for coins. Coins are giant targets compared to most gold nuggets. The ground where gold is hunted is more mineralized requiring a more complex detector to deal with minerlization and still be sensitive to small targets like gold. That is why they are generally more expensive.
@@ChrisRalph Thank you. That is what I wanted to know. As I said. I am new to this. I thought there was no stupid question. I wasn't expecting sarcasm. Thanks anyway. As a newbie, I guess this is not a area I should learn. Money rules.
a lower subscriber count is compensated for by more intelligent subscribers ;)
Glad you enjoyed it.