Types of Metal Detecting Activities, page 8:
WW2 MILITARY RELIC HUNTING
(CONTINUED from previous page)
Basic Equipment and Types of Metal Detectors Required for Recovering WW2 Artifacts:
A simple and inexpensive conventional metal detector with true All Metal mode and capability of using a large search coil can be successfully used for military relic detecting. Both Conventional Land detectors and Conventional Pulse Induction (PI) detectors are used for locating the "hot" spots by "picking up" signals emitted by brass casings, brass splinters, unexploded tank-cannon projectiles, high-explosive shells, propelled and anti-tank grenades, rifle- and hand-grenades, mortars, pieces of firearms, etc.
2-Box detectors are used for finding firearms and medium-size metallic objects buried down to two meters deep, thus, indicating a fox-hole, dug-out or firing position of a machine-gunner. Deep Seekers are used for the same purpose but detect large iron objects such as light artillery, mortars, demolition bombs buried down to five meters deep.
There are four types of metal detectors used for detecting relics: Conventional Land detectors, Conventional Pulse Induction (PI) detectors, 2-Box detectors, and Deep Seekers (they are also PI units). The Pulse Induction detectors has advantage over other types as they do not get affected by the ground mineralization, but you have to dig up every target when using them as PI detectors can not have a Discrimination function!
However, if you are not up to lots of digging, you can choose a machine from a line of metal detectors especially designed for relic hunting. They do have Discrimination and "love" iron! Tesoro Tejon and Troy Shadow X5 are the leading relic machines on the market today.
Necessary Detector's Features, Equipment and Accessories:
• True All Metal mode
• Non-Motion Discrimination option is essential for searching relics in small confined places such as dug-outs
• A small amount of Discrimination is used only when searching for non-iron objects
• Ground Balancing is required
• Headphones are not required
When a deep seeker with a large square search frame (1m x 1m, 2m x 2m) is used, and two persons are participating in its operation, headphones are not used for better coordination of movements between operators.
• Detector's capability of using a large search coil (15" and larger)
• Hipmount configuration is used to avoid fatigue from long hours of swinging the large search coils
• Strong Magnets that are especially designed for relic recovery from the wells, rivers and lakes and can hold the weight ranging from 300kg to 450kg. Caution should be exercised when transporting these powerful magnets in the car as they will stick to anything ferrous (car body, tools, equipment, etc.) if not properly contained. The best way to avoid accidental sticking is to place a piece of thin wooden plate and sheet tin between the magnet and the rest of equipment.
• Treasure Hunting Shovel made of special steel (Lesche, Fiskars), with T-handle, and designed for digging targets in soils of any type.
• 3-Piece Steel Probe with a T-handle especially designed for locating large objects buried down to 1.8m. The searcher drives the probe vertically down through the soft or sandy soil until the probe hits something hard. An experienced searcher can identify the object's material (iron, aluminum, stone, wood, etc.) by feeling the vibrations received by the handle. This probe is also very useful as an accessory to 2-Box and Deep Seeking metal detectors.
• Pouch for small junk (brass casings, splinters, bullets, etc.) and other items found along with relics, so no trash would be left behind.
• Extra Bag will be helpful in dealing with lots of military junk that you will end up with while relic hunting either at the WW2 battlefield or hunt site "loaded" with "heavy metal."
• Sturdy Light Gloves will protect your hands from accidental cutting by broken glass or sharp fragments of rusty sheet iron.
• Kneepads are recommended.
• For finding military machinery on the bottoms of swamps, lakes and rivers, professional WW2 relic hunters use expensive devices such as Ground Penetrating Locators, Magnetometers, Sonars, etc.
• Headlamp is good to have when your daylight relic hunting activity is likely to continue into the night hours.
• A reliable 4x4 vehicle is sometimes a "must" to get to the remote and less accessible areas.
This Small Tracked Motorcycle (Kleines Kettenkraftrad), ca. 1940-1944, Would Be Great to Have
If you would like to read WW2 relic hunting story, brief historical facts on WW2 and Eastern Front, and see photo galleries of WW2 relic finds, please visit my page dedicated to WW2 Military Relic Hunting.
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In January of 2020, I started a one-time fund-raising campaign in attempt to accumulate enough money to buy a simple but reliable 4x4 vehicle. My old 4x4 car (made in 1995) had faithfully served me for 10 years before it eventually went beyond repair last October. Without a 4WD, I will not be able to get to my hunt sites and test-plots hidden in the remote wooded areas inaccessible by a regular car.
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