01
The picks
Four gold detectors. Each frame shows three published facts and one button to a listing whose title names the exact model.
1. Garrett AT Gold
Of the four, only the AT Gold has a maker text that names meteorite hunting. Garrett rates it submersible to 10 feet in fresh water, and its modes start with True All Metal.
2. Minelab Gold Monster 1000
It has two modes, Gold and Deep All Metal, and runs at 45 kHz on a 5-inch DD coil.
3. Fisher Gold Bug 2
Three modes, Normal, Audio Boost and Iron Discrimination, at 71 kHz. Garrett's advice is written for the AT Gold; on the Gold Bug 2, leave Iron Discrimination off.
Sold as a two-coil combo: the listing names 6-inch and 10-inch elliptical coils with the detector.
4. Minelab GPZ 7000
The GPZ 7000 uses Minelab's ZVT (Zero Voltage Transmission) and has High Yield, General and Extra Deep gold modes and three ground types. It is the heaviest published here, at 7.32 lb.
Sold as a bundle: the listing adds a second lithium-ion battery to the detector.
02
Side by side
The same facts for every pick, read on each maker's page. Open a model for its full spec sheet.
| Model | Technology | Frequencies | Waterproofing | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garrett AT Gold | Single frequency | Not published | 10 ftDetector, 3 m | Not published |
| Minelab Gold Monster 1000 | Single frequency | 45 kHz | 3.3 ftCoil only, 1 m | 2.94 lb1.33 kg |
| Fisher Gold Bug 2 | Single frequency | 71 kHz | CoilWaterproof part | 2.9 lb |
| Minelab GPZ 7000 | ZVTZVT (Zero Voltage Transmission) | Not published | 3.3 ftCoil only, 1 m | 7.32 lb3.32 kg |
Facts from the pages of Garrett, Serious Detecting, Minelab and First Texas Products, read Oct. 16, 2026.
03
How to choose
All metal first
Since most meteorites hold a lot of iron, a setting that rejects ferrous targets can tune them out. The AT Gold has True All Metal and the Gold Monster 1000 has Deep All Metal.
Hot rocks and IDs
The AT Gold's target ID runs 0 to 99. On it, Garrett says iron meteorites can read from the low end, like hot rocks, to the high 50s, like large iron targets. On that scale, a number alone won't sort a meteorite from a hot rock.
Weight for a long walk
Garrett's manual says most meteorites are found in deserts and other arid climates, which preserve them. If you hunt there on foot, weight counts: the Gold Bug 2 weighs 2.9 lb, the GPZ 7000 7.32 lb.
04
What to know before you buy
We promise no depth. A meteorite's size, what it is made of and the ground decide how a detector reacts.
Collecting rules come first. On BLM land, 43 CFR 8365.1-5 allows reasonable amounts of rocks and mineral specimens for noncommercial purposes. It does not apply on developed recreation sites or where a posted rule prohibits it. The same section bars, unless authorized, willfully removing any scientific resource. Neither part names meteorites. Our BLM page gives both texts with the date we read them. Check local rules before you dig.
Two of the four listings are bundles. On Oct. 16, 2026, the brand or a detecting dealer held the Buy Box on three listings. A third-party seller held it on the AT Gold. Check the seller before you pay.
05
Questions
Answered from the makers' pages, read Oct. 16, 2026.
The texts we read do not say. The BLM conduct rule allows reasonable amounts of rocks and mineral specimens for noncommercial purposes, and it bars willfully removing any scientific resource unless authorized. Ask the BLM field office that manages the land.
The federal rule for National Park Service areas prohibits possessing or using a metal detector, with a few listed exceptions. Our rules overview cites it.
Not by the texts we read. Garrett's manual names the AT Gold for meteorite hunting, and a detecting dealer lists it as a VLF. Our VLF vs PI page compares the two technologies.
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