What Is a Pinpointer, and Do You Need One?

On this page (8 sections)

1. What is a pinpointer used for?
2. How do you use a pinpointer?
3. Do you need a pinpointer for metal detecting?
4. Which pinpointer features matter most?
5. Can a pinpointer be used at the beach?
6. What pinpointer mistakes should you avoid?
7. Where can you legally use a pinpointer?
8. Is a pinpointer worth adding to your gear?

A pinpointer is used to locate the exact spot of a buried metal object after your main detector has found the general area. It checks the hole, plug and loose soil at close range.

It does not replace a full-size metal detector for adults. The larger detector covers ground, while the pinpointer handles the final part of recovering a target.

What is a pinpointer used for?

A pinpointer is used for finding a metal target within a small search area. It helps you work out whether the object is still in the hole, hidden in the side wall or sitting in the soil you removed.

That close-range check can stop you from widening a hole in the wrong direction. It also helps when a coin or small object blends into dark soil.

A pinpointer may respond with sound, vibration, a light or a screen. Some models change their alerts as the probe moves closer to metal.

It can also check a plug before you break it apart. If the target is in the plug, you can search that smaller piece instead of digging deeper.

How do you use a pinpointer?

Use the main detector first, open the smallest suitable hole, then scan the hole and removed soil with the pinpointer. Our guide to using a metal detector on your first hunt covers the wider search process.

1. Sweep the area with the full-size detector and center the signal.
2. Set the detector aside where its coil will not interfere.
3. Open the ground only where digging is allowed.
4. Turn on the pinpointer and move its probe around the hole.
5. Check the bottom, side walls, plug and loose soil.
6. Remove the target, scan again and refill the hole.

Move the probe slowly enough to notice changes in sound or vibration. Do not force the tip into hard soil or use it as a digging tool.

How a pinpointer is used in the hole

Start by checking the hole's walls and bottom, then scan the plug and loose soil. A model with 360-degree side scanning can respond along the side of its probe, not just at the end.

If the signal covers a wide area, reduce the sensitivity when your model allows it. That can make it easier to narrow the response to one spot.

Scan the hole again after recovering an object. A second item may be close to the first, and the original signal may not have come from only one piece of metal.

Do you need a pinpointer for metal detecting?

You do not need a pinpointer to begin metal detecting, but it becomes useful when target recovery takes longer than the search. It can help in loose sand and holes where the target is hard to see.

Try a few hunts without one if you are still deciding whether the hobby suits you. Add a pinpointer when you want to spend less time sorting handfuls of soil.

A pinpointer makes more sense if you often hunt for small coins, rings or jewelry. It also helps when you want to keep holes narrow and return the ground as neatly as possible.

You can compare both tools in our metal detector versus pinpointer guide.

Which pinpointer features matter most?

The most useful features are clear alerts, simple controls and suitable water protection for where you hunt. Adjustable sensitivity, side scanning and interference reduction can make close-range searches easier.

The Minelab PRO-FIND 35 has 5 sensitivity levels, audio and vibration alerts, a built-in light and 2 responses intended to help distinguish ferrous from nonferrous metal. Minelab also includes a holster and lanyard.

Minelab says its Detector Interference Free technology reduces interference with an operating metal detector. The official PRO-FIND 35 guide provides more information about the tool.

The DR.ÖTEK MT6 Pro pinpointer combines an LCD with audio and vibration alerts. It also has 360-degree side scanning, a built-in light and one-touch interference cancellation.

The SUNPOW pinpointer uses one-button operation with sound and vibration alerts. SUNPOW states 360-degree scanning and a 3.5-inch detection depth.

The SAKOBS pinpointer has sound and vibration alerts, 360-degree side scanning and an interference-reduction function. SAKOBS states a detection distance of up to 3.1 inches under suitable conditions.

For more side-by-side choices, see our guide to the best metal detector pinpointers.

Can a pinpointer be used at the beach?

A waterproof pinpointer can work in wet sand and shallow water when its instructions allow that use. Water protection differs, so check the exact model instead of relying on an IP label alone.

DR.ÖTEK describes the MT6 Pro as fully submersible and IP68-rated. SAKOBS names rain, wet sand, streams and shallow water among its uses.

Minelab describes the PRO-FIND 35 as waterproof to 10 feet, but also gives an IP54 rating. Confirm the water-use instructions for your unit before submerging it.

SUNPOW describes the tip and scale section as waterproof. That wording does not confirm that every part can be submerged, so follow its instructions before putting the handle underwater.

Pair the pinpointer's protection with the right main machine. Our waterproof metal detector guide explains why a waterproof coil does not always mean the whole detector can go underwater.

What pinpointer mistakes should you avoid?

The main mistakes are using the probe as a shovel, ignoring interference and assuming all waterproofing is equal. Use the probe to detect, not to pry through roots or hard ground.

Keep the main detector's coil away if the 2 tools cause false signals. Models with interference cancellation or adjustable sensitivity give you more ways to settle a noisy response.

Use the included carrying accessories as directed, such as a lanyard or holster. A small tool is easy to leave beside a plug or lose in tall grass.

Check the battery as directed when alerts become weak or erratic. Follow the instructions before cleaning the unit or opening a battery compartment after a wet hunt.

Where can you legally use a pinpointer?

Use a pinpointer only where metal detecting and digging are allowed. Check whether local rules cover possessing detecting tools as well as using them.

Ask the landowner before searching private property. On public land, check the rules for the exact park, beach or agency instead of assuming one rule covers every location.

For National Park Service land, start with the National Park Service policy resources and confirm the rules with the park. State, county and city land can have different restrictions.

Refill each hole and take any trash you uncover. The rest of our metal detector accessories guide covers the small tools that help with careful target recovery.

Is a pinpointer worth adding to your gear?

Add a pinpointer if locating targets in the hole slows you down; wait if you are still deciding how often you will hunt. Clear alerts and controls you can use easily matter more than collecting extra features.

Choose water protection that matches your search area, and adjustable sensitivity if you want more control over the response. Our best pinpointer guide compares those choices for your next hunt.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a metal detector and a pinpointer?

A full-size metal detector sweeps a broad patch of ground and finds the general target area. A pinpointer works at close range inside the hole, plug or loose soil, helping you locate the object after the larger detector has already found the signal.

Do beginners need a pinpointer?

Beginners do not need a pinpointer to make their first finds, but it can make target recovery quicker and less frustrating. Start without one if your budget is tight, then add one if you spend too much time checking loose soil or widening holes.

How deep can a pinpointer detect?

Depth varies with the target, soil and model. SUNPOW states a 3.5-inch detection depth, while SAKOBS states up to 3.1 inches under suitable conditions, so neither figure guarantees the same reach on every hunt or makes a pinpointer a substitute for a full-size detector.

Can you use a pinpointer underwater?

Only submerge a pinpointer when its instructions allow it, and stay within the stated depth and time limits. DR.ÖTEK describes the MT6 Pro as fully submersible with an IP68 rating, while SUNPOW specifies waterproofing for the tip and scale section, so check your exact model first.