Here is the review of Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 metal detector. The article has information about the operating frequency of the device, the kind of coil it has, if the headphones are included into the device package set, how long it works using one battery set, etc.
Contents
What was the device designed for?
Bounty Hunter, a renowned metal detector manufacturer under First Texas Products Corporation, is headquartered in El Paso, Texas. This company specializes in producing reliable and affordable metal detectors that cater primarily to beginners and intermediate users.
The Discovery product line offers a range of metal detectors, starting with the Discovery 1100 and 2200 models, and culminating with the Discovery 3300. The Discovery 3300 stands out due to its advanced features, such as a manual ground balance adjustment, a sophisticated signal processing system, and a precise target detection mode called PinPoint. Additionally, users can create their own discrimination patterns, enhancing the detector’s versatility.
The Discovery 3300 model is an excellent choice for aspiring treasure hunters who seek quality without breaking the bank. Its affordable price point makes it accessible to those new to the hobby while still offering the essential features needed for effective metal detecting.
| Model | Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 |
| Weight | 2.5 pounds |
| Batteries | 2x9V |
| Headphones | No |
| Warranty | 5 years |
| Operating Principle | VLF |
| Standard Searchcoil | 8″ Mono (concentric) |
| Operating Frequencies (kHz) | 6.6 |
| Water resistance | Waterproof coil |
| Submersion Depth | No |
| Discrimination | Yes |
| Ground Balance | Auto, manual |
| Audio Threshold | No |
| Sensitivity | Yes |
| Electronic Pinpointing | Yes |
| VDI (0 to 99 scale) | Yes |
| Build-in flashlight | No |
- Manual ground balance
- Zero in with microprocessor-controlled discrimination
- Deep-seeking, one-touch pinpoint
- 5 Modes of operation
- 4-Tone and 11-Segment target identification
Last update on 2024-12-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / Source: Amazon Affiliates
The review
The shaft
All Bounty Hunter metal detectors in the Discovery product line share a similar design. The shafts and armrests are consistent across models, with only the color of the plastic and the appearance of the control unit differing.
The Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 builds on the design of its predecessors. It features two shaft sections, with an 8-inch search coil attached to the lower section. The upper section houses the control unit, armrest, and handle, all designed for user convenience.
The bend in the upper shaft enhances usability, allowing for comfortable operation during extended searching. The armrest is adjustable along the shaft, ensuring a customized fit for users. Additionally, the bottom support feature allows you to place the metal detector on the ground while keeping it clean and ready for the next use.
You can easily adjust the detector’s length to suit your individual needs using the adjustment holes located along the shaft.
The coil
The Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 metal detector is equipped with an 8-inch concentric search coil, offering stable performance across various ground types. This model is also designed to withstand temperature fluctuations, making it reliable in different environments.
A notable feature of the Discovery 3300’s search coil is its waterproof capability. This allows for underwater treasure hunting and beach searching; however, while you can submerge the search coil, it is essential to keep the control unit above water to ensure safe operation.
The search coil shell is constructed from durable synthetic plastic, which is both wear-resistant and impact-resistant. While the coil is built to last, investing in a protective case is advisable to extend its lifespan further.
With a frequency of 6.7 kHz, the Discovery 3300 operates as a multi-purpose detector, making it suitable for locating both small and large targets effectively. This versatility makes it a valuable choice for various treasure hunting activities.
In contrast to the Discovery 1100 model, the 2200 and 3300 models support the use of alternative search coils, including 10-inch and 4-inch options, allowing users to tailor their equipment to specific searching conditions.
Headphones
Headphones are not included with the Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 metal detector, but the device features a 1/4-inch jack plug that allows you to connect your own headphones. Using headphones can significantly enhance your detecting experience by improving sound clarity and minimizing background noise. This feature is particularly beneficial in noisy environments or when you need to concentrate on your search.
The battery
The Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 metal detector is powered by two 9-volt batteries, providing enough energy for 30 to 40 hours of continuous operation under normal conditions.
To extend the metal detector’s operational time, using headphones is recommended, as this can reduce power consumption. The control unit includes a dedicated jack plug for connecting headphones. Additionally, you have the option to use rechargeable batteries as a power supply, with a wide variety available on the market today, allowing you to choose the best fit for your needs.
The control unit
The Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 features a compact and lightweight control unit, ensuring it does not disturb the device’s balance and allowing for a more comfortable treasure-hunting experience. The front panel is equipped with a large, high-contrast LCD display, touch-sensitive keys for easy settings and navigation, and a switch for adjusting the ground balance function.
Target identification is facilitated by three key indicators. The discrimination scale visually represents the specific segment to which the target belongs, while the digital indicator shows the target’s electrical conductivity, helping users determine the object type. Additionally, the metal detector provides four tones of sound response for target identification, allowing experienced diggers to rely on audio cues for accurate detection.
Search modes
The Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 metal detector offers two primary search modes: a dynamic mode with discrimination, which is the main mode used for most detecting scenarios, and a static mode known as ‘All Metal.’ In dynamic mode, the detector effectively discriminates between different types of metals, making it efficient for identifying valuable targets. However, the All-Metal mode provides slightly greater detection depth. This mode will pick up signals from all ferrous objects in the ground, making it ideal for thorough searches but less efficient for pinpointing valuable targets.
The All-Metal mode is particularly useful for locating the center of a target, as it helps prevent accidental damage to valuable items when digging. Alongside these standard modes, the Discovery 3300 features Notch and Zap modes, which allow users to exclude specific groups of unwanted objects from detection. This feature enables a more personalized detecting experience, allowing users to tailor the detector to their specific preferences and avoid common trash items.
This model stands out with its advanced capabilities, including an 11-segment discrimination scale and Visual Discrimination Indicator (VDI) numbers, providing users with precise identification of potential targets. The option for manual ground balance adjustment further enhances its functionality, allowing for fine-tuning based on varying soil conditions.
Additionally, the Discovery 3300 displays possible target detection depth and includes a PinPointer function. This tool aids in accurately locating targets during excavation, significantly reducing the risk of damaging them with digging tools. These advanced features solidify the Discovery 3300’s status as one of the most professional devices in the Bounty Hunter Discovery product line. All models within this line feature discrimination adjustment and the Notch filter, enabling users to exclude selected segments from the discrimination scale—except for the far-right segment, which is managed by the Zap function.
Discrimination
When using the Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300, understanding important parameters beyond just detection depth is crucial. One key feature is the adjustable discrimination scale, which consists of 11 segments that allow users to avoid unwanted targets such as bottle caps, nails, and other common debris. Each segment corresponds to a specific metal type or target with distinct physical properties.
Notably, the discrimination sector for iron is divided into three segments. This design is intentional; since gold has low conductivity, it can occasionally be misidentified within the iron discrimination range. By adjusting the settings on the Discovery 3300, users can effectively ignore ferrous targets while still detecting valuable gold items, particularly those often found in the overlapping area, such as chains and earrings.
The Discovery 3300 features three target identification indicators, which assist detectorists in determining the potential value of a target. The discrimination scale marker indicates which segment the target falls into, while a three-digit digital indicator displays the object’s conventional electrical conductivity value. This information proves invaluable for verifying the nature of the detected target.
To further enhance its usability, the Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 includes a ZAP button. By waving the coil above an unwanted object and pressing this button, users can instruct the detector to ignore repeated signals from that item. This function is particularly advantageous during beach hunting, where common targets like bottle caps can frequently disrupt the detecting process.
Tones
The Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 employs a sound indication system that features four distinct tones, each corresponding to a different pitch. This auditory feedback serves as the third target identification indicator. Experienced detectorists often rely heavily on these sound responses to assess the value of a potential target.
Each of the four response tones allows users to quickly gauge what lies beneath the search coil, helping them determine whether the object is worth digging up. By paying attention to the pitch of the tone, you can efficiently interpret the nature of the target, enhancing your treasure hunting experience.
Ground balance
The Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 features a versatile ground balance function with both manual and automatic adjustment options. This device utilizes the Squelch-Tech® system, which effectively reduces and eliminates unwanted noise in challenging ground conditions.
While earlier models automatically adjust the ground balance, the Discovery 3300 allows users to take control by manually fine-tuning this setting. This added flexibility enhances the detector’s performance, making it easier to identify valuable targets in varying environments.
Conclusions
The device advantage is its sufficient detection depth (considering its price), it is rather light-weighted and perfectly balanced. This metal detector is easy to master even for beginner detectorist, it doesn’t have any complicated settings or adjustments.
It’s plain and simple, turn on the metal detector and start to wave the coil. That’s it. Let’s take a look at the device characteristics in detail.
If comparing this metal detector with Teknetics devices, 3300 model is close to Teknetics Eurotek. However, the device control is more complicated, so it won’t do as one’s first metal detector or a device for a kid.