Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and I may earn a small commission if you purchase through these links.
You might have the opinion that Bounty Hunter is considered a budget brand, but they share the same parent company, First Texas Products, with Fisher Labs.
The metal detector up for review is the Land Ranger Pro.
It’s one of the brand’s high-end models that is designed for professional use by expert detectorists. However, its interface and price attract all.
Is it too good to be true?
Let’s find out.
At a Glance…
✔️ Best Feature: Target ID
❌ Worst Feature: Pinpoint Button
👌 Ideal For: Shallow Water, Gold, Silver, Coins, Jewelry, Relics, Intermediates, Experts
- Target ID
- Maximum Coin Depth Detection
- 7 Detection Modes
- Auto & Manual Ground Balance
- Enhanced V-Break
Our Verdict: Far from its entry-level price, the Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro is an expert-level metal detector. It has many high-performing features that push the bounds of its price class. As one reason of many, it’s a metal detector worthy of recommendation.
Who is the Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro Best Suited to?
As mentioned, the Land Ranger Pro could easily be mistaken as a basic and entry-level unit due to its deceptive price tag. However, it has a list of expert features that prove otherwise. Features like All-Metal Mode, Enhanced V-Break, and Computerized Ground Grab are not usually seen on entry-level detectors.
For further appreciation, this model is the only one within the Professional series that has every feature a Bounty Hunter metal detector can provide in a high-end unit. While beginners may be attracted to it for its incredible value, they may find it difficult to learn on as a starter unit. It was made for serial detectorists, and it’s how it should be used.
How Does the Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro Perform?
The Bounty Hunter Pro metal detector is a VLF single frequency unit. It operates at 7.69 kHz which is within the middle ground for most types of metal hunting but is especially good for relics, coins, and small jewelry. It also has 10 sensitivity settings, so you’ll be able to adjust this setting for maximum performance when EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) energy makes it difficult to detect in many scenarios.
This model comes with an 11” DD searchcoil that is great for covering large hunting grounds. The overall length of the Land Ranger Pro is adjustable, and its searchcoil is waterproof, so lost treasures in shallow waters are not off bounds.
Features & Benefits
Target ID
Target ID is a two-digit numerical system shared between both Fisher and Bounty Hunter products. It’s a favorite feature of mine because it facilitates decision-making before you dig. No longer are only dependent on interpreting audio signals to measure depth, size, and type of metal of the detected object, you also have a probable conductivity value. On a scale of 1-99, high conductivity metals will have a higher number and lower conductivity metals will have a lower metal.
It’s also important to note that the fast target response and recovery speed are exceptional, so you will be able to detect several objects within proximity. So, when you see the Target ID value behave “erratically” or rapidly, it’s likely due to multiple objects right next to each other. This can be cause to further investigate using notching to decide whether or not you want to dig.
Maximum Coin Depth Detection
The rated maximum coin depth detection of the Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro is 10”, but many users have found coins much deeper. You must also consider soil conditions, target depth, discrimination settings, and any other factors that could affect its performance where you can adjust settings to improve detection success.
7 Detection Modes
To be technically correct, there are three detection modes designed for specific types of targets. These are: Coins (Disc C), Artifacts (Relics/Disc A), and Jewelry (Disc J). There is an All-Metal Mode that does not discriminate as it includes signals for all types of metals detected.
The remaining three modes are essentially audio tone modes: Disc 2 (1 tones & V.C.O.), Disc 3 (2 tones & V.C.O.), Disc 4 (3 tones & V.C.O.). There is low, medium, and high tones. V.C.O. is the tone that is used in All Metal mode. In any one of the disc modes, the audio is preset to the Target ID indicator. For example, in Disc 2, everything below a Target ID scale of 19 will be heard with a low tone. Everything above will be heard with V.C.O. audio. The settings will change in Disc 3 and 4 to include medium and high tones.
V.C.O. stands for Voltage Controlled Oscillator. Its pitch and volume changes either with rising, stronger, and louder audio or weak and low audio. This can help you determine a target’s depth, conductivity, and type of metal where you will need to further investigate with a discriminate mode, pinpoint mode, Target ID, or just dig.
Auto & Manual Ground Balance
Highly mineralized areas produce a lot of problems for detectorists. Whether it’s high oxide environments like magnetite rock when looking for gold, or even salt at a beach, the detector will respond as signals are extremely strong. The Land Ranger Pro has a computerized Ground Grab feature and manual ground balancing to further help the user to reduce the noise and chatter without affecting signal strength from a potential target.
Ground Grab essentially allows you to balance the internal settings of the metal detector with the ground phase of the, well, ground. The ground phase is “grabbed,” which means it was measured, so the metal detector can match ground balance to the value of ground phase to cancel out ground minerals. This is a great feature to have when you’re consistently moving over changing environments.
Enhanced V-Break
V-Break is an audio response feature. You manually adjust Target ID settings for a specific number that will reflect all IDs at and below that number to be heard in a low tone. For example, if you set V-Break to level 50, all objects with a Target ID of 50 and less will be heard with a low tone. All objects with a Target ID of 51-99 will not be changed.
You can only use V-Break to produce low tones on targets with a Target ID of up to 69. It cannot be used for targets that have already been discriminated or notched out in specific operating modes.
Limitations
Pinpoint Button
The display interface has touchpad operation, and there has been a few complaints about the dedicated Pinpoint button. They address that it has lost function or that its circuitry seems to become harder to engage. However, Texas First Products has said, “Our engineers have developed and implemented a design modification to improve the durability and longevity of this button.” The new and upgraded model have addressed this issue.
Not Specifically Designed for Saltwater Use
While the Bounty Hunter metal detector does have computerized and manual ground balancing, it may struggle with saltwater conditions, like at the beach, as it would with high iron oxide environments. Where multi-frequency VLFs and pulse induction metal detectors are champions in these conditions, VLFs operating on single frequency cannot function at the same quality in saltwater or wet sand.
The searchcoil is waterproof allowing the user some flexibility for shallow water treasure hunting especially in freshwater conditions. While many have success ground balancing to salt and continue to detect coins, jewelry, and the like, it may not be the case for others. Sometimes, you may have to set sensitivity so low to reduce the signal chatter that it may cause the detector to pass a good target.
Popular Questions
Is there a Backlit Display on the Bounty Hunter Metal Detector?
Unfortunately, the Land Ranger Pro does not have a backlit display for hunting in lowlight or nighttime conditions.
Are Headphones Included with the Land Ranger Pro?
There are no headphones or additional accessories included with the Land Ranger Pro. The metal detector does have a ¼” connection point that allows for any ¼” headphones to be used. However, the metal detector can also operate with audio without any headphones even though they are strongly recommended for privacy and the best hearing detection to the weakest signals.
Are there other Size Coils that are Compatible with the Bounty Hunter Pro?
An 11” DD searchcoil is included in the box with the Land Ranger Pro. This is a large size that is great for detecting with maximum ground coverage in mind. While no other searchcoils are included, it is compatible with Bounty Hunter’s 10” and 8”-7B13 searchcoils.
How Much does the Land Ranger Pro Metal Detector Weigh?
It’s an ultra-lightweight metal detector that only weighs 2.4 lbs. It’s also collapsible for travel and storage into three parts: S-upper rod, shaft, and searchcoil.
Can You Find Buried Electrical Wire & Cables?
The Land Ranger Pro has been used to find electrical wiring both intentionally and accidentally. It detects these wires well up to about 12” below the surface. However, if you’re in a residential area, be sure to adjust sensitivity to possible EMI interference from affecting performance.
Conclusion
The Land Ranger Pro may be priced within the entry-level market, but it’s not a basic and entry-level metal detector. Its many features will attract all, but only those familiar with how metal detectors work will recognize and appreciate its value.
Like any other electronic that you purchase, you must become familiar with how it functions, what sounds it makes, and what its capabilities are.
Those willing to go beyond the twitterpation phase of owning a metal detector will realize the Land Ranger’s full potential and will maximize it to increase detecting success.
Further Reading:
- XP ORX Metal Detector Review
- XP DEUS Metal Detector Review
- Winbest Pro Edition Metal Detector Review
- Whites TDI BeachHunter Metal Detector Review
- Whites Spectra V3i Metal Detector Review
Back to Bounty Hunter Metal Detectors