When someone asks, “what does discrimination mean on a metal detector?” The answer lies in how the machine tells certain metals apart. In metal detecting, discrimination refers to a metal detector’s ability to recognize and ignore unwanted targets, such as iron nails, while still alerting you to valuable finds like gold rings, coins, or non ferrous metals like copper and silver.
This feature is important for everyone from casual hobbyists to those involved in treasure hunting, relic hunting, or gold prospecting. Whether you’re detecting on a beach or exploring historical sites, having more control over what you dig up saves time and frustration. Instead of chasing every beep, you can use your metal detector’s discrimination capabilities to filter out false signals and focus on good targets.
If you’re new to metal detecting or just want to get better at picking out the good stuff from the junk, our team at Garrett is great at breaking down how discrimination works and why it matters. Many of our most popular detectors, like the ACE 300, ACE 400, Vortex VX5, AT Pro, AT Max, and Apex, come equipped with built-in discrimination features that help you ignore unwanted targets and zero in on valuable finds.
Key Takeaways
- Discrimination allows metal detectors to filter out unwanted targets like iron nails while detecting valuable metals such as gold and silver.
- Metal detectors identify different metals based on electrical conductivity and phase shift responses to electromagnetic fields.
- High discrimination settings help reduce junk signals, but may risk missing low-conductivity valuable targets like small gold.
- Practicing with known targets and varying terrain helps users better understand discrimination responses and refine their technique.
- Choosing the right detector and tuning discrimination to match location and goals increases the chances of finding valuable items.
- Garrett metal detectors offer adjustable discrimination modes, notch filtering, and custom settings to improve detecting accuracy.
How Metal Detector Discrimination Works
Electromagnetic Field Basics
At the heart of all metal detectors is a basic scientific principle: the interaction between a transmit coil and metal objects. The search coil sends out a magnetic signal. When this signal hits a metal object, eddy currents are created, and the object sends a return signal back.
The way a specific detector reads these return signals is based on electrical conductivity and something called phase shift. Different types of metal conduct electricity in different ways. This means the audio output or target ID segments will vary depending on the object’s properties. The detector compares these responses and assigns them to specific target types.
In simple terms, metal detector discrimination allows you to hear signals only from individual targets you care about, like coins or gold nuggets, and ignore junk metals like rusty nails. These distinctions are how discrimination works in practical use.
Conductivity and Metal Types
The conductive properties of a metal play a big role in how it’s identified by your detector. Here’s how it breaks down:
- Low-conductivity metals such as iron and steel tend to produce signals that can be more erratic. The Target ID numbers for such ferrous items can vary greatly depending upon the orientation of the iron object.
- High-conductivity metals like gold, silver, and copper generally produce more consistent responses, with Target IDs that are less variable. These precious metals are often in the form of coins or other valuable targets that detectorists are looking for.
However, keep in mind that similar conductivity across multiple targets (like foil and some small jewelry) can sometimes lead to confusion.
Filtering Out Unwanted Targets
Common “Junk” Metals That Can Be Ignored
Thanks to effective discrimination, you can teach your detector to ignore the “junk” and focus on valuable items. Some of the most common unwanted targets include:
- Iron nails – often give off low, broken iron signals.
- Bottle caps – tricky because they sometimes mimic coins in tone.
- Foil wrappers or aluminum foil – often mistaken for small non ferrous items.
By learning how to recognize and block these signals, you’ll dig less trash and uncover more good targets.
How Increasing Discrimination Helps
As you raise your discrimination settings, the detector becomes more selective, choosing to ignore certain types of metal objects. This reduces undesired signals and makes your search faster and more efficient. In trashy areas with multiple targets, increasing discrimination levels can mean the difference between frustration and success.
However, high discrimination isn’t always better. If set too high, you might miss valuable items that resemble junk based on their conductivity. For example, some small gold nuggets or old coins can have similar conductivity to a pull tab or thin foil. This is why our metal detectors at Garrett, like our sport and prospecting models, let you toggle between various objects using discrimination modes or fine-tune using custom mode or notch discrimination.
Garrett Metal Detector Models & Discrimination
At Garrett, we design our metal detectors with one goal in mind, helping you find more of the good targets and less of the junk. That’s why discrimination is at the core of so many of our technologies.
From the intuitive presets on our ACE series to the high-resolution notch systems and advanced filtering found in our Vortex and AT lines, every Garrett detector is engineered to give you greater control, clearer target ID, and a more rewarding metal detecting experience.
ACE 200
The Garrett ACE 200 keeps things simple with preset discrimination patterns that filter out common trash while still hitting on coins and small valuables. It’s an easy starter detector that teaches beginners how discrimination improves target accuracy.
ACE 250
The ACE 250 includes five discrimination modes, All-Metal, Jewelry, Custom, Relics, and Coins, letting users quickly reject unwanted targets like iron nails while dialing in on more valuable finds. It’s one of the most intuitive discrimination systems in our lineup.
ACE 300
The ACE 300 offers 12-segment notch discrimination plus five search modes, allowing users to fine-tune which metals to accept or reject. Its ZERO-DISC and CUSTOM modes give hobbyists more control over trash rejection in challenging environments.
ACE 400
Our ACE 400 metal detector adds even more refined notch discrimination and enhanced iron audio to help you separate good targets from junk. Its preset modes and adjustable iron rejection make it ideal for parks, relic sites, and trash-heavy areas.
ACE APEX
The ACE Apex features advanced discrimination through a 20-pixel target ID system and multiple single- and multi-frequency modes. Its precision filtering helps identify non-ferrous targets even in mineralized soil or saltwater conditions.
Vortex VX5
The Vortex VX5 offers versatile modes including Zero Discrimination, Beach Mode, and Standard Mode for relic hunting. These settings help users minimize iron chatter and focus on high-value targets across multiple terrains.
Vortex VX7
Our VX7 model builds on VX5 capability with expanded control of target separation speed and iron filters, making it easier to identify individual targets in cluttered or iron-rich locations.
Vortex VX9
The VX9 delivers pro-level discrimination performance with high-resolution iron filters, bottlecap rejection control, and target separation speed control. It’s the flagship Vortex model for users who need maximum control.
AT Pro
The AT Pro offers both Standard and Pro audio modes along with adjustable iron discrimination across 40 levels. This makes it exceptionally good at separating desirable non-ferrous targets from iron trash in tough, noisy sites.
AT Max
The AT Max combines true All-Metal detection with adjustable discrimination settings designed for depth, separation, and reduced iron interference. Its enhanced filtering helps users hunt deeper while ignoring the junk.
Axiom (Prospecting)
The Garrett Axiom is primarily an All-Metal gold prospecting machine, but it includes a special Iron Check feature. When utilized with a DD-format searchcoil, Axiom’s Iron Check can help you avoid digging many iron items while maintaining sensitivity to small gold.
Goldmaster 24K
The Goldmaster 24K uses iron cancel features and specialized gold modes to weed out hot rocks and iron trash while remaining extremely sensitive to tiny nuggets. Its discrimination system is engineered for difficult goldfields.
Balancing Sensitivity and Discrimination
Why a Moderate Approach Often Works Best
When it comes to discrimination levels, less can sometimes mean more. A moderate approach offers a balance between high sensitivity (picking up even faint signals) and effective discrimination (ignoring junk).
Rather than trying to target only one metal, it’s often smarter to filter out just the worst iron signals or rusty nails and keep the rest open. This method allows you to find valuable targets among the clutter, especially in metal detecting adventures across mixed terrain.
How to Adjust Based on Location and Target Goals
Your discrimination settings should always reflect where you’re hunting and what you’re looking for. If you’re beach detecting, you might want to screen out hot rocks or modern trash like foil and cans. In relic hunting around historical sites, you’ll want to keep the settings lower, as iron targets like old tools or nails can be historically significant.
Custom mode options on Garrett metal detectors gives you more control over these adjustments, and using a specific detector tailored for gold prospecting or coin mode can further refine your results.
Tips for Using Discrimination Effectively
Start With a Moderate Setting
To get the most from metal detector discrimination, begin with a preset mode like coin mode or custom mode on your detector. These modes are designed to filter out common unwanted targets like bottle caps and ferrous metals while still allowing signals from non ferrous metals such as gold and silver. It’s a good place to learn how discrimination works before getting into advanced settings.
Test Your Detector With Known Items
Before your next hunt, gather some metal objects you’re likely to find, like aluminum foil, iron nails, pull tabs, and gold rings, and test them using your detector. Doing this helps you understand how your detector responds to various objects with different conductive properties and magnetic properties.
Practice in Different Environments
Take time to use your metal mode in different areas, parks, beaches, forests, historical sites, or old homesteads. Each environment has a unique makeup of metal types, including multiple targets in close proximity.
Practicing in varied terrain helps you get used to eddy currents, discrimination patterns, and the quirks of your detector’s coil. The more you practice, the more confident you’ll get adjusting to certain metals and learning which signals lead to valuable finds.
Understanding What Discrimination Matters in Metal Detecting
Choosing the right metal detector, and pairing it with the right discrimination mode, is essential for making the most of every metal detecting trip. The correct discrimination settings help you filter out iron trash, hot rocks, and other unwanted targets so you can focus on finding coins, relics, jewelry, and high-value metals with greater accuracy.
Whether you’re exploring parks, hunting old home sites, searching the beach, or prospecting in mineralized soil, the right Garrett model and settings can dramatically improve your results. If you’re unsure which detector best fits your hunting style or experience level, our team is here to help. Contact us anytime and we’ll guide you toward the Garrett detector that matches your goals and terrain.
So get out there, experiment, trust your ears, and enjoy the hunt. The more you learn how discrimination works, the more success you’ll have chasing those elusive valuable items hidden just beneath the surface.
