Bounty Hunter Pioneer 202
Number of Reviews: 42
Avg. Score: 
4.55
Yesterday morning we were able to locate 14 silver dollars and over eight dollars in change. I'll be going back soon after my aching bones feel they can manage another 6 hours of action on the detector and digging through the thick goo and washing the targets. I love this 202 !
It is so easy to use, the auto ground balancing feature, auto notch, and control panel have everything you need at a glance.
Now I have a big problem (a good one to have too!) I am addicted to metal detecting!!! I can't stop thinking about it, I get this huge rush with every hit and 9 of 10 times it's going to be something good.
Yes, I won't lie about the trash. I have certainly dug up my share of beer tops, aluminum cans, bottle caps and so forth, but still the excitement of the tone hit and digging up something is always exilerating!
So do yourself a favor. If you are new to metal detecting get this detector. I promise you if you follow the video, read the manual, practice with it (just a little) you won't be disappointed. I have certainly never once been disappointed with my detector!
After a rainfall the depth detection seems to get a lot better, and I find more targets. The best find so far with the 202 was a set of 1880s brass baggage tags found near an old railroad bridge. If anyone is interested in metal detecting but unsure about making a big investment on a complicated machine, I would definitely recommend the 202. It comes with an instructional DVD that was very helpful.
Also when I dug up the ring I happened to find an indian arrow head as well, sometimes you just get lucky!!!
I'm not completely new to metal detecting, having had a cheap 'toy' detector and
finding some stuff with it years ago. Recently, I had my interest rekindled, so I did
some research here and elsewhere on the net. I set my sites on a 505, because I thought
the No Motion - All Metal mode and Manual Ground Balancing were very important and
useful features. After not being able to find a good deal on a 505, I bought a used 202 on
Ebay for 99.00. Then, you guessed it, I found a deal on the 505. Thats how I wound up with
both.
Well, I can say this....both detectors seem so work equally well as far as discrimination, depth,
and target display, and both are very good at detecting coins.
Depth displays are reasonably accurate, and target ID's CAN be accurate, but often are not.
This is probably normal. Its hard to identify objects that have been burried a long time and in
various conditions, especially odd shaped aluminum or oxidized iron or steel.
One thing is certain....if you get a repeatable target indication...its there!
If the detector is set to discriminate, it will do just that. The discrimination works flawlessly.
I have pulled up many coins..some as deep as 6+ inches....and lots of wheat pennies on just my own small suburban property.
I have only used both on turf basically, and am pleased and impressed with the performance of both units. I think the 202 (now called Quick Draw II), is basically the same detector as the 505 minus
the No Motion-All Metal mode and manual ground balancing. Are these useful features...yes.
Are they necessary.....not to find lots of stuff and have loads of fun. To sum it up, I think this unit
is a real bargain for the price. If you're looking to get into detecting on a budget, you can't go
wrong with this unit. Just study, read, practice, learn and understand how to use it. I would bet
this unit could give way more expensive rigs a run for the money!
4.55
Compare to ▼
Retired
September 07, 2012
I just took my BH Pioneer 202 out to Lake Mead to a spot where I had seen
tourist throw change for years in hopes that the lakes power as a wishing
well might shine it's light on them during their gaming outings. Now that
the lake is so low due to the drought I have been able to walk out to the
areas that was recipient to these coins. Yesterday morning we were able to locate 14 silver dollars and over eight dollars in change. I'll be going back soon after my aching bones feel they can manage another 6 hours of action on the detector and digging through the thick goo and washing the targets. I love this 202 !
Overall Rating
Phil C from
Las Vegas, NV
50
The Bounty Hunter Pioneer 202
August 28, 2012
I have owned the Bounty Hunter Pioneer 202 for over 4 years and I
absolutely LOVE IT! For the money I don't believe it can be beat. I was
given the unit as a Christmas present and found the "good stuff" on my very
first outing, my yard! In fact I paid for it within 6 months of using it
and that was just hitting school play grounds. I can't even begin to tell
how many coins, rings, collector toy cars, necklaces and things I have
found with it. It is so easy to use, the auto ground balancing feature, auto notch, and control panel have everything you need at a glance.
Now I have a big problem (a good one to have too!) I am addicted to metal detecting!!! I can't stop thinking about it, I get this huge rush with every hit and 9 of 10 times it's going to be something good.
Yes, I won't lie about the trash. I have certainly dug up my share of beer tops, aluminum cans, bottle caps and so forth, but still the excitement of the tone hit and digging up something is always exilerating!
So do yourself a favor. If you are new to metal detecting get this detector. I promise you if you follow the video, read the manual, practice with it (just a little) you won't be disappointed. I have certainly never once been disappointed with my detector!
Overall Rating
Hugh Joiner from
Bowling Green, Ky
30
Great Detector for newbies
August 02, 2012
I've had this metal detector for about 6 months and I have been pleased so
far. It's very good at finding coins and targets relatively close to the
surface. Its easy to use and the more I work with it the better I become
at determining what will be junk and what will be valuable before I dig it
up. My house was built in the 1920s and I was pretty surprised at the
number of coins (20+) I was easily able to find in my own small Chicago
lot. Several pennies, quarters and dimes but oddly no nickels. After a rainfall the depth detection seems to get a lot better, and I find more targets. The best find so far with the 202 was a set of 1880s brass baggage tags found near an old railroad bridge. If anyone is interested in metal detecting but unsure about making a big investment on a complicated machine, I would definitely recommend the 202. It comes with an instructional DVD that was very helpful.
Overall Rating
Rob from
Chicago, Illinois
70
Great detector
July 09, 2012
I bought this detector 8 years ago and found 1000s of coins. I also found
around 200 silver coins, 2 gold rings, 5 silver rings. This detector holds
its own with the built-in microprocessor. It also works great at the
beach. The pioneer 202 is a great investment and a lot of fun. My buddy
with a whites DFX can't believe how well this detector works.
Overall Rating
Mike Keller from
Everett,wa
131
First time user
June 02, 2012
I just used my BH 202 in my mom's back yard and found a 1944 penny, a
sterling silver ring , a silver donkey figurine, some nails, scrap metal
and of course a pull tab. All in all it went great and who would have
thought I would find a silver ring in my mom's back yard. . . . :o)Also when I dug up the ring I happened to find an indian arrow head as well, sometimes you just get lucky!!!
Overall Rating
Ron from
Elgin, il
172
New at detecting
May 03, 2012
Have a 202 and used it a few times but with no luck. I tried it at
Sebastian Inlet Beach and found nada after 4 hours. . . Hope to try again
on my day off with better luck with some of the tips I got from this site.
Thanks and good luck.
Overall Rating
Bruce Cannon from
Florida
14
Educator
March 23, 2012
Bought the Pioneer 202 a couple of yrs ago. Tried it and was quite
disappointed. Placed a gold ring in the grass and tried to locate it and
detector didn't hit on it. Took it to the beach and only hit on ring
tabs.
Overall Rating
Rudy Lopez from
Texas
36
Pioneer 202 great beginner detector
December 23, 2010
After using this machine for a month, it gets 5 stars and here's why. The
BH202 is simple, with three modes, it doesn't take long to figure out what
setings produces coins. It is sensitive enough to find a small piece (1/4
inch) piece of tinfoil at ten inches. This is a coin shooter. You wont find
too many nickle or gold with this machine. You need the optional 4 inch
coil for gold nugget hunting. It takes two 9 volt baterys, with well over
10 hours of usage. Its tough, and if you take the time to learn it, finds
it keeps up with more expensive machines with more options. This machine
ground balances automatically, which lets you hunt and dig more. Its not
made for the beach, but have used it in the local tot lots sandbox with
good results. Before you buy that expensive detector, this poor mans
detector is a great machine to learn with and decide what you really want
in a machine.
Overall Rating
JD from
Las cruces, nm
721
Great Detector for the Price
June 06, 2009
I bought a used pioneer 202 on E-bay for under a 100 dollars. When it
arrived I tried it out in my stone driveway and found 2 pennies within 5
minutes. The next day I took it to a near by State Park that had a sandy
beach. It took me about 4hrs to scan it and I found a ring, $1.40 in change
which included a 1937 Merc. Dime. It was accurate in what I was finding, a
penny showed up as 1 cent, a Quarter showed 25 cent. It does not have a
pinpointer but after a while you can pretty much narrow down where its at.
Great Detector for the Price.
Overall Rating
Pa Hunter from
S.W. PA
642
Rock Solid and Fun...It Works Well.
May 22, 2009
Well, first let me say that I own (2) Bounty Hunter Detectors, a Pioneer
202 and 505.I'm not completely new to metal detecting, having had a cheap 'toy' detector and
finding some stuff with it years ago. Recently, I had my interest rekindled, so I did
some research here and elsewhere on the net. I set my sites on a 505, because I thought
the No Motion - All Metal mode and Manual Ground Balancing were very important and
useful features. After not being able to find a good deal on a 505, I bought a used 202 on
Ebay for 99.00. Then, you guessed it, I found a deal on the 505. Thats how I wound up with
both.
Well, I can say this....both detectors seem so work equally well as far as discrimination, depth,
and target display, and both are very good at detecting coins.
Depth displays are reasonably accurate, and target ID's CAN be accurate, but often are not.
This is probably normal. Its hard to identify objects that have been burried a long time and in
various conditions, especially odd shaped aluminum or oxidized iron or steel.
One thing is certain....if you get a repeatable target indication...its there!
If the detector is set to discriminate, it will do just that. The discrimination works flawlessly.
I have pulled up many coins..some as deep as 6+ inches....and lots of wheat pennies on just my own small suburban property.
I have only used both on turf basically, and am pleased and impressed with the performance of both units. I think the 202 (now called Quick Draw II), is basically the same detector as the 505 minus
the No Motion-All Metal mode and manual ground balancing. Are these useful features...yes.
Are they necessary.....not to find lots of stuff and have loads of fun. To sum it up, I think this unit
is a real bargain for the price. If you're looking to get into detecting on a budget, you can't go
wrong with this unit. Just study, read, practice, learn and understand how to use it. I would bet
this unit could give way more expensive rigs a run for the money!
Overall Rating
Steve from
Eastern PA
1105
