Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 review

Bounty Hunter is part of the First Texas Products company, which also owns Teknetics and Fisher Labs, among other companies. Bounty Hunter metal detectors are not known to be the best metal detectors on the market, but they offer many metal detectors that perform extremely well. They also make metal detectors accessible for all detectors, even those who are on a tight budget.

Bounty Hunter offers models specifically designed for beginning detectorists, intermediate detectorists, advanced detectorists, serious detectorists, and professional detectorists. Their Discovery line of metal detectors is a great option for someone looking for an all-purpose metal detector at a great price.

The Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 metal detector offers a variety of unique features that other similarly priced metal detectors do not offer. This is considered a professional metal detector and would be best suited to a detectorist with some experience. That is not to say that a new detectorist could not operate this machine, but the more advanced features would be more difficult for a new detectorist to deal with. This metal detector is great for coin shooting and general treasure hunting, making it an all-purpose machine. The Discovery 3300 is lightweight, has an ergonomic build, and provides easy handling for all treasure hunters.

Deeply buried metals will not elude the Discovery 3300. Bounty Hunter has incorporated preset ground balancing that helps detectorists differentiate between trash targets and valuable items. It can also eliminate unwanted metals and features a sensitivity control to help balance out the effects of electromagnetic interference. This is a well-rounded metal detector at a very reasonable price of $300.

Below, please take a moment to compare the Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 to some of the top metal detectors available on the market:

Model	Price	Features
Garrett AT Max	$$$	Waterproof to 10 feet
Fisher F22	$$	9″ Triangulated Concentric Coil
Garrett Ace 400	$$$	8.5 x 11" DD coil
Minelab Vanquish 540	$	Search Modes: Coin, Relic, Jewelry, Custom, All Metal

Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 Features

The Discovery 3300 is a simple to assemble machine, requiring no tools. A few quick steps and the machine is ready to rock! As with all metal detectors, Bounty Hunter recommends using several items as a test for your new metal detector. Gather items like a nail, a pull tab, a nickel, a quarter, and a zinc penny. Place the detector on a table and run each item over the coil so you can become familiar with the sounds and sights of the machine. These tests can also be done in a yard, where you place the items in the grass or dirt and run the search coil over the top. You will begin to recognize the number feedback on the display screen and corresponding alert sound.

The armrest is adjustable to allow maximum comfort for all detectorists. This metal detector operates on 2 9-volt alkaline batteries. The Discovery 3300 weighs just 2.5 pounds, making it easy to use for several hours without arm fatigue. The length is adjustable, making it perfect for all sizes of detectorist. The Discovery 3300 operates at a frequency of 6.6 kHz, so it will not be a great gold hunting machine. Gold is typically found at a higher frequency (above 14 kHz, typically). But this low frequency makes the machine great at finding metals on the lower end of the frequency scale like silver, zinc, and nickel.

Along with the preset ground balancing, the Discovery 3300 also has manual ground balancing. This allows the user to adapt the machine to different soil types. Discrimination is adjustable and controlled with a microprocessing unit. This model has a pinpoint mode allowing users to zero in on a target easily and quickly. Sensitivity is adjustable and this model has notch discrimination allowing users to exclude or include a variety of metals. The Discovery 3300 features All Metal Mode, Discrimination/A-M Touch Pad Mode, Discrimination Mode, and Notch Mode. There is also something called ZAP Control on this model. ZAP works in Discrimination Mode to eliminate a known undesirable metal object from detection.

The Discovery 3300 features a clear LCD screen which has an 11-segment digital target ID and numerical depth indicator. This makes knowing approximate targets easier. The Discovery 3300 has a 7-segment target elimination indicator and 3 levels of iron discrimination. The audio target ID features 4 tones, except in pinpoint mode:

Bass Tone: Ferrous objects like iron and steel
Low Tone: Pull-tabs, nickels, small gold
Medium Tone: Post-1982 pennies, larger gold objects, zinc, small brass objects, bottle caps, vintage foreign coins
High Tone: Silver and copper, larger brass objects, pre-1982 pennies, highly oxidized metals, quarters, dimes, and other coins
Monotone: Pinpoint mode

This metal detector does not have wireless technology, so it can only be used with wired headphones. Headphones can help users hear fainter signals and help identify iffy signals. Be sure not to wear headphones in high traffic areas or in dangerous areas. This metal detector comes with an 8-inch waterproof round search coil. The control box is water resistant, so it can be used in inclement weather, but the control box is not fully waterproof.

The Discovery 3300 is made of durable plastic, so it is wearproof and impact resistant. But it is recommended to get a protective case or coil cover to keep the wear to a minimum. This metal detector has great depth, especially for its price, is very lightweight, and perfectly balanced. There are no complicated settings (beginning detectorists will quickly learn the different features) and it can be used right out of the box using preset modes.

Bounty Hunter offers a 5-year warranty on the Discovery 3300 metal detector.

Below, take a moment to view some of the best selling metal detectors on Amazon, and see how well they compare to the Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300.

BEST SELLERS
1) Garrett AT MAX
2) Bounty Hunter TK4 Tracker IV
3) Bounty Hunter Gold Digger

Discovery 3300 vs Land Ranger Pro

The Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro is comparable in price to the Discovery 3300, at around $300. The Land Ranger Pro is a great metal detector for all detectorists, including beginners. It is easy to use, has a good variety of features, and is a decent price. This model is very lightweight, at just 2.4 pounds. As with the Discovery 3300, this model is adjustable, making it easy to adjust to all sizes of detectorists. The Land Ranger Pro comes with a larger search coil than the Discovery 3300. Its stock coil is an 11-inch Double D waterproof coil. This stock search coil can also be interchanged with other search coils.

The Land Ranger Pro operates on 1 9-volt alkaline battery (the Discovery 3300 uses 2 9-volt batteries) and runs on a frequency of 7.69 kHz (the Discovery 3300 operates at 6.6 kHz). This frequency means the Land Ranger Pro will be great for general relic hunting or coin shooting but will not be great for finding gold. Unlike the Discovery 3300, the Land Ranger Pro’s LCD screen features numerical target ID and looks very similar to Fisher F-series metal detector control boxes. This metal detector features V-Break variable tone breakpoint, Ground Grab computerized ground balancing, 4-tone audio ID, 7 operating modes, 6 discrimination modes (3 preset modes and 3 manual modes), pinpoint mode, and variable notching.

The Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro features iron audio tone, which helps users hear iron signals so they can decide if it is worth digging the target or not. Ground balancing helps users eliminate false signals from highly mineralized soils. As with the Discovery 3300, the control box on the Land Ranger Pro is not fully waterproof so it should be used with caution around water sources. It should be noted that the single frequency of this metal detector means it will not work very well in saltwater conditions and will give a lot of chatter.

The Land Ranger Pro is another easy to use model by Bounty Hunter. It is simple enough for a beginning detectorist to use but has features that will keep more intermediate or even advanced detectorists happy. This detector is lightweight and well-balanced meaning users can hunt for longer periods of time.

As with the Discovery 3300, Bounty Hunter offers a 5-year warranty on the Land Ranger Pro.

Discovery 3300 vs Garrett AT Pro

The Garrett AT Pro is one of Garrett’s most popular metal detectors. The AT Pro is an all-purpose, all-terrain metal detector that is ruggedly built. It is suitable for almost all soil conditions. The AT Pro has adjustable ground balancing, adjustable discrimination and notch, adjustable sensitivity, and a pinpoint mode. The LCD screen features numerical target ID, which the Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 does not.

The AT Pro is a single frequency metal detector like the Discovery 3300 but operates at a higher frequency of 15 kHz. This makes the metal detector great for finding coins, relics, jewelry and even some gold nuggets. This detector will still struggle to find small bits of gold or thin gold jewelry, but it is possible. The AT Pro can shift its frequency slightly to compensate for electromagnetic interference and high soil mineralization. It is not a multiple frequency metal detector but can slightly shift frequencies.

One feature of the AT Pro that the Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 and Land Ranger Pro lack is waterproofing. The AT Pro is fully submersible up to 10 feet. This makes it perfect for detecting in rivers, streams, and shallow lakes. This model comes standard with an 11” Double-D search coil and headphones (the headphones are not waterproof). This coil is larger than the 8” search coil the Discovery 3300 comes with. Small targets are easily separated with the AT Pro’s Pro Mode Fast Recovery feature.

Areas with high mineralization will cause the AT Pro to produce more chatter, so it will not work as well on saltwater beaches and saltwater. The AT Pro has 6 search modes: 3 Standard search modes and 3 Proportional (Pro) modes. It has 40 discrimination settings and Pro Audio with Tone Roll, which allows users to find subtle target responses better than some other metal detectors. As with the Discovery 3300, ground balancing is adjustable on the AT Pro. It features Fast Track automatic ground balancing which allows users to balance soil conditions quickly and easily.

The AT Pro features Iron Audio, which the Discovery 3300 does not have. Iron audio lets users hear iron targets so they can avoid digging undesirable targets like bottle caps and washers. Iron Audio is only available in Discrimination Mode. With Iron Audio turned off, a silver coin and bottle cap have very similar sounds and can be hard to differentiate. With Iron Audio turned on, a bottle cap will give a low iron grunt indicating iron, while a silver coin will give a different tone.

The AT Pro is a little bit heavier than the Discovery 3300 at 3.03 pounds. This detector is still light enough to carry around for many hours without much arm fatigue. This model operates on 4 AA batteries. This model is great for beginners as it has a Standard Mode, allowing new users to use preset settings and not have to bother with advanced features. As the detectorist becomes more familiar with the machine, they can then use the Pro Mode and all its features. The AT Pro is more expensive than either of the Bounty Hunter models listed above, at around $650.

Garrett offers a 2-year warranty on the AT Pro, which is less than the 5-year warranty offered by Bounty Hunter for the Discovery 3300 and Land Ranger Pro.

Discovery 3300 vs Garrett Ace 250

Garrett’s Ace 250 has been called the world’s best-selling metal detector. As with the Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300, the Ace 250 is simple to assemble and can be used straight out of the box without tinkering with settings if the user desires. This makes the Ace 250 a good metal detector for beginners. The Ace 250 is designed for coin, jewelry, and relics, and operates at 6.5 kHz, about the same as the Discovery 3300’s 6.6 kHz. Neither model will be very good at finding small gold or thin gold jewelry, but it is still possible to find larger pieces. This model has 5 operating modes:

Coin
Jewelry
Relics
Custom
All Metal

As with the Discovery 3300, the Ace 250 does not have numerical target ID. It comes with a graphical target ID. There is a target ID legend above the LCD screen showing the most likely metals in that range. When the detector finds a target, the indicator will point to the most likely target metal or type. The Ace 250 has 3 different depth indicators. The LCD screen has 12 graphical segments for accurate target ID. It also has adjustable sensitivity settings. Discrimination is adjustable and chosen metals can be excluded from identification.

One feature I really like about the Ace 250 is it saves the last used settings when the detector is powered off. Holding the power button for about 10 seconds will clear the last used settings and let users set the detector any way they like. This feature is helpful if you are camping or searching in the same area more than 1 day. This model has 3 audio tones compared to the Discovery 3300’s 4 audio tones. While this model does not feature a Notch mode, it does have an ELIM button, which works relatively the same as Notch.

The Ace 250 comes with a 9” waterproof search coil, slightly larger than the Discovery 3300’s 8” search coil. The Ace 250 and Discovery 3300 both have control boxes that cannot be fully submerged in water. Ground balancing on this model is factory preset. This model also lacks volume control. The Ace 250 is a lightweight model at just 2.7 pounds (the Discovery 3300 is 2.5 pounds). This model is less expensive than the Discovery 3300, at about $210.

Garrett offers a 2-year warranty on the Ace 250, shorter than the Discovery 3300’s 5-year warranty.

Discovery 3300 vs Legacy 3500

The Bounty Hunter Legacy 3500 is listed as a professional metal detector by Bounty Hunter. This detector is simple to assemble and can be adjusted to fit all sizes of detectorists. The Legacy 3500 operates at a slightly higher frequency than the Discovery 3300, at 7.8 kHz. This detector, like the other Bounty Hunter models, will not be great for finding small bits of gold of fine gold jewelry. This frequency is great for relic hunting, coin shooting, and general metal detecting. This model features 4 search modes:

Discrimination
Notch
All-Metal
Pinpoint

The LCD screen on the Legacy 3500 features numerical target ID, depth indicator, and ID target possibilities. It features 4 target ID tones, like the Discovery 3300. Sensitivity is adjustable on a 6-segment scale to help the detector block out some electromagnetic interference and to compensate for highly mineralized soil conditions.

This model features Notch and Discrimination, as well as ZAP mode, like the Discovery 3300. The Legacy 3500 features a pinpoint mode to help zero in on targets. Ground balancing is manual, and the Legacy 3500 comes with an 8” waterproof search coil, like the Discovery 3300. This model is lightweight, at just 2.6 pounds (the Discovery 3300 is 2.5 pounds). It operates on 2 9-volt batteries, like the Discovery 3300.

As with the other Bounty Hunter models, the Legacy 3500 has a 5-year warranty.

Conclusion

Each of the metal detectors on this list are great machines for entry level through advanced detectorists. Each one has a decent number of features and most are within a reasonable price. The Garrett AT Pro is about double the price of the other detectors, but it makes up for Garrett fans, the price is well worth it. Garrett is a well-respected company that makes fantastic products. But for those on a tighter budget, Bounty Hunter makes some great products, too. Each detector has a very low operating cost, using either 9-volt or AA batteries.

The Discovery 3300, Land Ranger Pro, and Legacy 3500 all come with a fantastic 5-year warranty, which is longer than Garrett’s warranty. Keep in mind, none of the metal detectors on this list will be great for gold prospecting. If you would like to prospect for gold, it is recommended you purchase a specific gold hunting metal detector. Most major metal detector manufacturers make gold prospecting metal detectors. That is not to say that all these detectors will not find gold. If the gold is large enough and the ground conditions are not terribly mineralized, these detectors will absolutely find gold!

The Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 is a great, well-rounded, all-purpose metal detector. This detector comes with some great features and is a great price. It is easy enough to use right out of the box for beginners, but also has enough features to keep a more experienced detectorist happy.

Some pros of the Discovery 330 are:

Waterproof search coil
Adjustable ground balancing system
Deep seeking pinpoint mode
5 detection modes
Advanced discrimination system
Great price

One con of the Discovery 3300 is the entire detector is not waterproof. If this metal detector is going to be used in water, it should be very shallow water and the armrest strap should be used to secure the detector to the user’s arm, so it does not fall into the water and get ruined. None of the Bounty Hunter models on this list are fully waterproof, but the Garrett Ace 250 can be fully submerged.

The Discovery 3300 is one of Bounty Hunter’s top-level metal detectors and provides great detection. The detector can reach approximately 11 inches in good conditions to find a coin, and with larger items the detector can detect at a whopping 4 feet! The pinpoint mode makes it easy to find targets and avoid unnecessary digging.

Ground balancing can be done manually or automatically, so it is suited to most soil types. The microprocessor-controlled discrimination system can eliminate unwanted metal targets with elimination indicator and 3 levels of iron discrimination. The simple and easy to understand operating system makes this a great metal detector for all detectorists.

As with all purchases, if you decided to buy a metal detector online, make sure it is from a reputable dealer. Always check your purchase when it arrives to make sure it is genuine. There have been issues with several companies finding counterfeit metal detectors on the market. In fact, First Texas Products, owner of Bounty Hunter Metal Detectors, recently won a judgement against counterfeiters. They found many counterfeit products and were able to trace the sales back to the manufacturers. So, keep this in mind when looking for metal detectors, or any other product, online.