Bounty Hunter Mach 1 Metal Detector Review – Is It Worth It? (2023)

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The MACH-1 metal detector is one of the newer models from Bounty Hunter.

As one of their mid-level metal detectors, it was designed with simplicity at its core.

With features that will appeal to the amateur looking to get more out of their detector, it could be a good buy as a first time purchase.

Whether you're new to detection or looking to upgrade your analog model, the Mach 1 should be an affordable consideration on your shortlist.

Who is the Bounty Hunter MACH-1 best for?

The MACH-1 is not a simple metal detector. In fact, calling it a metal detector for a kid might just be too much. A mid-range model from the Bounty Hunter brand, it's best suited for adults or an older child who may have some experience with inferior metal detectors.

It is attractively priced for beginners on a budget, and comes with enough perks to allow for growth and development of the skills required.

Is it aHigh-End Metal Detectorthat we could compare to other middle school models? NO.

But it's a budget metal detector with a few features that outperforms its competition. With this in mind, it's easier for beginners to get a handle on the necessary features that need to be learned before moving on to an upgrade.

How does the Bounty Hunter MACH-1 work?

The MACH is a 7.69kHz single frequency metal detector that is new to the market. It offers a pretty shiny list of features for the beginner. A notable feature is the fact that it can accommodate both alkaline and rechargeable batteries. With alkaline you can count on up to 45 operating hours!

Regardless of its intermediate status as stated by the brand, it is a light and simple detector designed for new hobbyists in the game.

As such, it has the right specs to be used as a coin shooter in average and ideal soils. Without ground leveling, you cannot compensate for ground minerals.

The gauge lacks the numeric target ID, but has distinguishing segments, four audio tones associated with each segment, and a depth indicator. This provides the basic information a newbie needs to start hunting right away.

Features and Benefits

Digital target ID display

Mid-level Bounty Hunter 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 indicator.

2 button operation makes this model a breeze to use without having to deal with additional menu screens and features.

depth indicator

The depth reading is in the center of the display. It is specifically calibrated for coin sized targets and larger objects can be registered on the depth scale.

The depth scale has three segments. The first few segments indicate a shallow target that could be at the surface or buried up to 2 inches deep.

When two segments are filled in, this indicates a medium depth target that is anywhere from 2" to 4" deep.

When three segments are filled in, it means a target could be buried over 4 inches deep.

sensitivity meter

This is a nice feature separate from the depth gauge. Other Bounty Hunter models have confused consumers with their depth select feature, which is actually more of a sensitivity level than an actual depth readout.

There is no confusion with this model. They have both a target depth indicator and a separate sensitivity indicator.

The Mach-1 has three levels of sensitivity. When all segments are filled, you are working at maximum sensitivity. You can lower the sensitivity if EMI interference or minerals start to be a problem for performance.

You may also need to reduce sensitivity when editing fields with multiple targets.

DISC & 4-Ton-Audio

The display clearly shows four discrimination segments. These segments are Fe for ferrous targets such as ferrous, 2 for low conductivity nonferrous targets, 3 for medium conductivity nonferrous targets, and 4 for high conductivity nonferrous targets.

When all four segments are visible on the display, your detector is in All Metal mode and is detecting all types of metal. By pressing the DISC button, you can reject a segment and just focus on finding targets that fall within the remaining segments on the display.

In addition, there are four easily recognizable audio tones that are directly linked to the four discrimination segments.

A bass tone is provided when a target falls within the Fe segment. A low pitched 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 tone is provided when a target falls within the 4 segment.

location

You can locate Mach-1 with metal detector. It takes some practice, but learning the X-ing pattern as detailed in the manual will give you the basic techniques needed to pinpoint exactly where a target is buried.

However, this is usually a difficult technique for a beginner to master. It may be faster to use aPinpointerto improve target recovery and time.

restrictions

Weatherproof search coil

When you see the word weatherproof to describe the search coil, you should immediately know that it is not waterproof. This is a deterrent as you cannot submerge the searchcoil in water to detect shallow water.

This limits your hunting ground and can be a concern if the weather turns against you.

Not only do you not want your control box to get wet, you also do not want the searchcoil to be exposed to excessive amounts of water. It's time to call it quits.

Popular Questions

Can you balance the Bounty Hunter metal detector on the ground?

Unfortunately, as with 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 balancing in the field.

This actually makes it easier for beginners as it is designed to work easily in average ground conditions. But when minerals cause spurious signals, there is no way to adequately compensate for them other than increase discrimination and decrease sensitivity.

What is the operating frequency of the MACH-1?

The Bounty Hunter Mach-1 is a VLF single frequency metal detector operating at 7.69 kHz. This is a standard entry frequency calibrated for coin shooting.

This is a good frequency to find dime sized coins at 2 inches and quarter sized coins at 6 inches. Larger targets can be detected at a depth of approximately 18 inches.

Depth detection depends on target type, orientation in the ground, minerals in the ground, and detector settings.

What is the warranty on the MACH-1 metal detector?

The Mach-1 is a metal detector from the Bounty Hunter range 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 purchaser.

Can the BH Mach-1 be used with headphones?

The control box does not appear to have a headphone jack and headphones are not listed as an official accessory compatible with the Mach 1 metal detector.

Sounds are provided through the external speaker, and as far as volume control goes, there isn't one.

Is this a good metal detector for a child?

The Bounty Hunter Mach is suitable as a metal detector for an adult as it may have too many settings for a child.

Between the tones, the distinction, and the adjustable sensitivity, it can be too overwhelming for a child to understand its use.

However, it is light and simple enough for older children to use effectively.

Diploma

There are many metal detectors of this brand that fall into the entry-level market. Many are about the same price.

How do you vote?

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 requires 2x 9V batteries for 40-45 hours of operation.

With key benefits under your belt, you can compare it to its alternatives and determine if this is the right entry-level model for you. You may very well find that despite its downsides, it has more to offer.

Further reading:

• Fisher CZ-21 Metal Detector Review (10.5 Inch Coil)
• Aquascan Aquapulse AQ1B Metalldetector Bewertung
• 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 12/15/2022 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API