I’ve been metal detecting since the early 1990s and over the years I’ve used numerous metal detectors on the beach. But after doing some research on several beach metal detectors I didn’t find a lot of information about the items most detectorists find on the beach. In addition, there was even less information out there on the target IDs of these common targets based on the metal detector. My goal was to shorten my learn curve and get an idea of what I could expect to find at the beach as well as the target IDs that go along with them.
In this article, I’m going to break down some of the items you can expect to find and provide the target IDs associated to each of the items to help you be better prepared before hitting the beach with one of the metal detectors I mention below. I will provide the targets and target ID information broken down my each metal detector. At the end of the article, I will also point you to vendors where you can pick up one of these beach metal detectors. I recommend all of them.
Which Metal Detectors Did I Use on The Beach?
For this article I was fortunate to have 4 of best metal detectors that work really well on the beach and they listed below:
- Minelab Equinox 800
- Nokta Macro Legend
- XP Deus II
- Minelab CTX 3030
Before You Read Further Please Beware of The Following.
All of the target IDs that I will provide below are based on real targets I found on the beach in 2022. I found these items with all 4 of the metal detectors listed above. However, the target IDs that I’m about to provide are a best guess. There are no absolute target IDs. Some metal detectors will do a better job at identifying targets but there are so many factors that go into how a metal detector come up with its target IDs and these numbers can change drastically.
Here are some of the factors that can give different target IDs for the metal detector you are using.
- Depth of the target – The deeper the target the more the target ID will change. If the target is 3″ or less the target ID will be really close to what I am providing. But the deeper targets will show a completely different number so its important to listen more for the tone of the target vs watching the numbers.
- Sand/Soil Make Up – Most of the beaches I’ve visited have relatively clean sand with very little black sand. If you run into patches of black sand you may witness your numbers jumping around a bit and this due to the sand being mineralized so pay attention to the sand color. Black sand may or may not have an impact but if you notice your machine acting a little erratic, black sand could be the culprit.
- Target Saturation – If you happen to be detecting at a very trashy beach this may impact your target IDs due to the fact there are too many targets under your coil to accurately identify the right one. If you run into this issue, try increasing your recovery speed or on some machines its also called the reactivity speed.
- Size and Shape – The size and shape of the target will give different target ID’s especially for rings and jewelry. What considered “junk” jewelry will ring up all over the place and sometimes it will even ring up as iron. The table below gives a general (not absolute) guide on how targets may ring up.
Beach Target IDs For The Equinox, Deus II, Legend, and CTX 3030
The table below contains some of the most common targets detectorists can find at the beach. The target IDs listed will not be 100% accurate due many factors (some mentioned above). Also note that coins were not provided in the table even though you can expect to find coins at the beach. Coins will ring up similar as they would ring up if detecting on land.
Minelab Equinox and XP Deus II Target IDs:
| Target | Equinox ID | XP Deus II ID |
| Large Tungsten Ring | 20 | 85 |
| Sterling Silver Men’s Ring (class ring size) | 24-25 | 93 |
| Thin Tungsten Wedding Ring | 15 | 64 |
| 14k Gold Wedding Band (Men’s) | 13 | 64-65 |
| 14k Gold Wedding Band w/small diamonds (Men’s) | 17 | 77 |
| Silver (.925) Cross Pendant | 17 | 78-79 |
| Sunglasses (full pair) | 14 | 69 |
| Broken Sunglasses | 13 | 65 |
| Broken Sunglasses (arm only) | 18 | 82 |
| 1 oz Triangle Fishing Weight | 16-17 | 76-77 |
| 2 oz Triangle Fishing Weight | 18 | 82 |
| 5 oz Triangle Fishing Weight | 20 | 84 |
| Soda Can Pull Tab | 13-14 | 68 |
| Half of a Pull Tab | 10-11 | 55 |
| Bobby Pin | -2 | 1 |
| Brass Key | 18-19 | 79-80 |
| Bottle Cap | 16 | 80-81 |
| Foil Wrapped Bottle Cap | 12-13 | 69-70 |
| Foil (folded up) | 7-8 | 47 |
| Small Copper Ring | 17 | 37 |
Nokta Makro Legend and Minelab CTX 3030 Target IDs:
| Target | Legend ID | CTX 3030 ID |
| Large Tungsten Ring | 39 | 12.32 |
| Sterling Silver Men’s Ring (class ring size) | 51 | 11.45 |
| Thin Tungsten Wedding Ring | 29 | 12.19 |
| 14k Gold Wedding Band (Men’s) | 25-26 | 13.16 |
| 14k Gold Wedding Band w/small diamonds (Men’s) | 32-33 | 12.25 |
| Silver (.925) Cross Pendant | 35-36 | 12.28 |
| Sunglasses (full pair) | 28-30 | 12.18 |
| Broken Sunglasses | 26 | 10.12 |
| Broken Sunglasses (arm only) | 37 | 12.31 |
| 1 oz Triangle Fishing Weight | 37-38 | 12.31 |
| 2 oz Triangle Fishing Weight | 40 | 11.36 |
| 5 oz Triangle Fishing Weight | 44 | 10.41 |
| Soda Can Pull Tab | 27-28 | 12.17 |
| Half of a Pull Tab | 21 | 12.08 |
| Bobby Pin | 2-3 | Nothing |
| Brass Key | 41 | 11.35 |
| Bottle Cap | 42-43 | 01.22 |
| Foil Wrapped Bottle Cap | 41-42 | 05.20 |
| Foil (folded up) | 18 | 12.04 |
| Small Copper Ring | 37 | 12.31 |
Some Information About The Minelab Equinox.
The Minelab Equinox 600 and 800 have been a proven work horse on the beach. In fact, the Equinox is probably one of the most purchased metal detectors for the beach. It works really well and its light and easy to swing. However, it has been known to leak when it gets fully submerged but it hasn’t happened to everyone. It hasn’t happened to me yet. Whether you have the 600 or 800 the targets IDs will be the same since both machines use the same Multi-IQ technology.
A Little More About The Nokta Makro Legend
The Nokta Makro Legend is one of the most recent metal detectors to hit the market that works really well on the beach. However you will need to make sure you download the latest software patches to ensure you get the most out this machine on the beach. The Legend is very comparable to the Minelab Equinox and some will say it has surpassed the Equinox but a much lower price. I used the Legend and it worked very for me on the beach.
A Really Nice Surprise is The XP Deus II
When the XP Deus II came out I was really skeptical about its ability to work well on the wet sand but to my surprise the Deus II is probably the best beach metal detector on the market right now. The machine is really light and punches deep. You can detect all day with this machine and not experience the fatigue you would experience with other machines. I really enjoyed using the XP Deus II and it has become my favorite beach machine.
The CTX 3030 is Old But Still One of The Best
The Minelab 3030 has been on the market for over 10 years but it is still one of the best machines to use on the beach. While its a lot heavier than the other machines mentioned, it has some really unique features that set it apart from other metal detectors. It operates really well in the wet sand and if you set up properly, the CTX 3030 will still compete with the newer machines. Unfortunately, this machine has the highest price tag of around $2499.
Where Can You Purchase One of These Metal Detectors?
I highly recommend the guys over at Fort Bedford Metal Detectors. They have all of these detectors and more. Plus, they offer great service and support. Give them a call or check our their website and if you do let them know Mental Metal Detecting sent you.
If Fort Bedford isn’t for you here you can also check Kellyco and Amazon to compare prices and information. I provided a table below with links to their websites to compare prices and information.
| Metal Detector | Fort Bedford’s Price | Kellyco’s Price | Amazon Price |
| Minelab Equinox | Call 814-215-1732 | Check Now | Check Now |
| XP Deus II | Call 814-215-1732 | Check Now | Check Now |
| Nokta Makro Legend | Call 814-215-1732 | Check Now | Check Now |
| Minelab CTX 3030 | Call 814-215-1732 | Check Now | Check Now |
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