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The MACH-1 metal detector is one of the newer models released by Bounty Hunter.
It’s designed to be one of their intermediate level metal detectors with simplicity at its core.
With features that will appeal to the amateur who wants more out of their detector, it could be a good buy as a first-time purchase.
Whether you’re new to the detecting field or you’re looking to upgrade your analog model, the Mach 1 should be an affordable consideration on your shortlist.
At a Glance…
✔️ Best Feature: Digital target ID display
❌ Worst Feature: Weatherproof searchcoil
👌 Ideal For: Coins, Jewelry, Relics, Beginners, Older Kids
Our Verdict: The MACH-1 is an improvement compared to the brand’s other budget metal detectors. It has everything a beginner needs to get started to make informative decisions about a detected target. With the basics plus some in place, it would make a great starter model for any interested person looking to get into metal detecting.
Who is the Bounty Hunter MACH-1 Best Suited to?
The MACH-1 is not a bare bones metal detector. In fact, it might just have too much to call it a metal detector for a kid. As an intermediate-level model from the Bounty Hunter brand, it’s best suited to adults or an older child that may have had some experience with inferior metal detectors.
It’s priced attractively to beginners on a budget, and it comes with enough perks that allows growth and development of necessary skills.
Is it a high-end metal detector that we could compare to other intermediate-level models? No.
But, it is a budget metal detector with some features that tops its competition. With this in mind, it’s easier for beginners to get a handle on the necessary features that must be learned before moving on to an upgrade.
How Does the Bounty Hunter MACH-1 Perform?
The MACH is a single frequency 7.69 kHz metal detector that’s new to the market. It offers quite a shiny list of features for the beginner. One such notable feature is the fact that it can take both alkaline and rechargeable batteries. With alkaline, you can expect up to 45 hours of operation!
Regardless of its intermediate status as provided by the brand, it’s a lightweight and simple detector designed for new hobbyists to the game.
As such, it has the right specs to be used as a coin-shooter in average and ideal soils. With no ground balance, you won’t be able to compensate for ground minerals.
The display lacks numerical target ID, but it does have discrimination segments, four audio tones that are each associated with the segments, and a depth indicator. This provides the basic information a newbie needs to get hunting right away.
Features & Benefits
Digital Target ID Display
Bounty Hunter intermediate-level metal detectors have an LCD display. The digital advantage provides more visual information that a hobbyist can use to determine if a target is worth digging up.
The display shows four discrimination segments, battery life indicator, target depth indicator, and sensitivity meter.
2-button operation makes this model a breeze to work without the fuss of additional menu screens and features to deal with.
Depth Indicator
The depth indicator is located in the center of the display. It’s specifically calibrated to coin-size targets and larger objects can be registered on the depth scale.
The depth scale has three segments. The first segments indicates a shallow target that could be on the surface or buried up to 2”.
When two segments are filled in, this indicates a medium depth target that is somewhere between 2” to 4” deep.
When three segments are filled in, this indicates a target could be buried over 4” deep.
Sensitivity Meter
This is a nice feature to have that is separate from the depth indicator. Other Bounty Hunter models have confused consumers with their depth select feature that is actually a sensitivity level rather than actual depth indicator.
In this model, there is no confusion. You have both a target depth indicator and a separate sensitivity meter.
The Mach-1 has three levels of sensitivity. When all the segments are filled in, you are working at maximum sensitivity. You can reduce sensitivity if EMI interference or minerals start to pose an issue to performance.
You may also need to reduce sensitivity when working fields with multiple targets.
DISC & 4-Tone Audio
The display clearly shows four discrimination segments. These segments are Fe for ferrous targets like iron, 2 for non-ferrous low conductive targets, 3 for non-ferrous medium conductive targets, and 4 for non-ferrous high conductive targets.
When all four segments are visible on the display, it means your detector is in all-metal mode and will detect all types of metals. By pressing the DISC button, you can reject a segment and only focus on finding targets that fall within the remaining segments on the display.
Additionally, there are four audio tones that are easily discernable and are directly tied to the four discrimination segments.
A bass tone is provided when a target falls within the Fe segment. A low pitch tone is provided when a target falls within the 2 segment. A medium tone is provided when a target falls within the 3 segment, and finally, a high-pitched tone is provided when a target falls within the 4 segment.
Pinpointing
You can pinpoint with the Mach-1 metal detector. It does take some practice but learning the X-ing pattern as outlined in the manual will provide you with the basic techniques needed to locate exactly where a target is buried.
However, this is usually a difficult technique for a beginner to master. It may be faster to use a pinpointer to improve target recovery and time.
Limitations
Weather-proof Searchcoil
When you see the word weatherproof to describe the searchcoil, you should immediately know that it’s not waterproof. This is a deterrent as you can’t submerge the searchcoil into water for shallow water detection.
This will limit your hunting grounds and can be of concern when the weather decides to turn on you.
Not only do you not want your control box to get wet, you don’t want to expose the searchcoil to excessive amounts of water. It’s time to call it a day.
Popular Questions
Can you Ground Balance the Bounty Hunter Metal Detector?
Unfortunately, like most other Bounty Hunter metal detectors and alternatives in this price range, the ground balance is preset by the manufacturer. There is no way to perform ground balance out in the field.
This actually makes it easier for beginners as it’s designed to work without issue in average ground conditions. But, when minerals cause false signals, there’s no way to adequately compensate for them short of increasing discrimination and reducing sensitivity.
What is the Operating Frequency of the MACH-1?
The Bounty Hunter Mach-1 is a VLF single frequency metal detector that operates at 7.69 kHz. This is a standard, entry-level frequency calibrated for coin-shooting.
This is a good frequency for finding dime-sized coins at 2” and quarter-sized coins at 6”. Larger targets can be detected at approximately 18” deep.
Depth detection will depend on the target type, orientation in the ground, minerals in the soil, and detector settings.
What is the Warranty on the MACH-1 Metal Detector?
The Mach-1 is a metal detector from the Bounty Hunter line and is therefore covered by the First Texas Products warranty.
The warranty period is 5 years from the original purchase date and is only offered to the original buyer.
Can the BH Mach-1 be used with Headphones?
The control box doesn’t seem to have a headphone jack and headphones are not listed as an official accessory that is compatible with the Mach 1 metal detector.
The tones will be provided through the external speaker, and as for volume control, there isn’t one.
Is this a Good Metal Detector for a Kid?
The Bounty Hunter Mach is suitable as a metal detector for an adult as it may have too many adjustments for a child.
Between the tones, discrimination, and adjustable sensitivity, it may be too overwhelming for a child to comprehend its use.
However, it is lightweight and simple enough for older children to use effectively.
Conclusion
There are a lot of metal detectors from this brand that fall into the entry-level market. Many are around the same price.
How do you choose?
The MACH-1 offers a digital target ID display, 4 tones, 4 discrimination segments, adjustable sensitivity and a lightweight platform all from a detector that takes 2x 9V batteries for 40-45 hours of operation.
With the primary advantages under your belt, you can compare it to its alternatives and determine if this is the right starter model for you. You may very well find it has more to offer even with its drawbacks.
- Target depth indicator
Further Reading:
- Fisher CZ-21 Metal Detector Review (10.5 inch Coil)
- Aquascan Aquapulse AQ1B Metal Detector Review
- Minelab GPZ 7000 Metal Detector Review
- Minelab SDC 2300 Metal Detector Review
- Minelab Excalibur II Metal Detector Review
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Last update on 2024-10-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API