Metal Detector - best on for general use?

[Brad Johnson]

I travel to the mountains a lot and it would be fun to poke around for mining camp finds and the occasional bit of gold or silver.  The country where I grew up is in the heart of old Commanche country along with being right on several of the old cattle trails, a couple of wagon roads, buffalo hunters' camps, and a general meeting spot for many of the folks who settled north central Texas.  In other words, it's lousy with "old stuff" just waiting to be found.

I've always wanted a metal detector for general use and figure now is as good a time as any to get one.  I have zero idea of what to look for, features to needs, and which brand seems to be the best overall.  The only brands I know of are Whites because they've been around forever, and Tesoro because the sponsor Gold Fever (Tom Massey makes me laugh!).  Other than that, I know zip.  Nada.  Nothing.

Edumakate me, pleez!

Brad

[slzy]

i have heard surplus mine detectors are good value,but that is just what i "heard".

[280plus]

I like Garret myself, although I'm not really sure why. I'd say start with a cheapie (~$200)and then move up if you really get the bug. Don't believe what you see on TV though. Mostly what you'll find is old trash like beer cans and those little aluinum pop tops

[crt360]

Gold-gold-gold-gold-gold-gold-Fevah-vah-vah-vah-vah 

My dad had a little one I used to play with when I was a kid.  I can't remember the brand name, but it worked for locating shallow stuff.  I found a lot of rusty square nails, rusty hinges, rusty farm equipment, and pieces of rusty barbed-wire fence.  I also founds lots of little rusty blobs of some kind of iron-looking stuff.  I never found any money, gold, jewelry, watches, guns or anything else of value.

Do those newer detectors with the display that's suppose to show you what you've found really work?