Garrett ACE 300 Metal Detector Overview
The Garrett ACE 300 runs at 8 kHz, and its frequency adjust gives four minor settings (F1 to F4) to reduce interference from power lines or other detectors nearby. It reads targets on a 0 to 99 Digital Target ID with three audio tone levels and has five search modes (Zero-Disc, Jewelry, Custom, Relics and Coins) plus Pinpoint, eight sensitivity levels, four iron discrimination segments (Iron Check) and adjustable notch discrimination. It adjusts automatically for ground minerals. The 7 x 10 inch PROformance concentric searchcoil is submersible, but Garrett's manual says the control housing and connectors are not, so keep the housing out of heavy rain and blowing surf. The ACE 300 weighs 2.8 lb (1.27 kg), adjusts from 42 to 51 inch with camlocks, runs 20 to 40 hours on four AA batteries and takes any headphones with a 1/4 inch plug. Garrett covers it with a 3-year limited parts and labor warranty, and Garrett makes its detectors in the USA.
ACE 300 vs ACE 400: Which Should You Buy?
The ACE 300 and ACE 400 share the ACE chassis, five search modes, eight sensitivity levels, the 0 to 99 Target ID, four iron discrimination segments, four AA batteries and the 42 to 51 inch stem. The ACE 400 runs at 10 kHz instead of 8 kHz and adds Iron Audio, which lets you hear discriminated iron that is normally silenced. It comes with an 8.5 x 11 inch PROformance DD coil and Garrett headphones in the box, and weighs 2.9 lb (1.32 kg).
One step further, the ACE Apex moves to multi-frequency: 5, 10, 15 or 20 kHz, plus Multi-Frequency and the Multi-Salt beach setting, with built-in Z-Lynk wireless and a rechargeable battery. ACE coils and Apex coils do not interchange.
If you hunt maintained parks, yards and schoolyards and want simple controls, the ACE 300 covers it. If your sites carry more iron, such as old homesteads and farm fields, we recommend the ACE 400 for Iron Audio and the DD coil. If you also want wet salt sand or wireless audio, look at the ACE Apex.
ACE 300, Best For:
- First-time buyers who want numeric Target ID and preset modes without a menu system
- Coin and jewelry hunting in parks, yards, playgrounds and fairgrounds
- Shallow freshwater edges, with the coil in the water and the control housing kept dry
ACE 400, Best For:
- Older parks, homesteads and farm fields with rusty iron, where Iron Audio gives an extra clue before you dig
- Hunters who want a DD coil and headphones in the box
- ACE 300 owners who want the next step without learning new controls
Key Features That Matter in the Field
Frequency adjust is the first control to reach for at a club hunt or near power lines: if the ACE 300 chatters, step through F1 to F4 until it settles. Sensitivity works the same way. We recommend setting it where the detector runs quietly rather than at maximum, because random signals near electrical equipment get worse as sensitivity rises. Iron Check sets how much iron discrimination to apply, which Garrett says helps where good targets are masked by iron trash. Graphic Target Analyzing shows the target's conductivity and your discrimination pattern at the same time, and the depth indicator shows the depth of a coin-sized target. We recommend starting in Coins mode in a modern park and Relics mode on an older property, and learning a factory mode before you build a Custom pattern, because too much discrimination can reject targets you want. Press and hold Pinpoint for a non-motion all-metal mode that centers the target under the marked middle of the coil.
Where the Garrett ACE 300 Works Best and Its Limits
The ACE 300 is a land detector for parks, yards, playgrounds, fairgrounds and old home sites. The coil can go into shallow water along a freshwater shoreline, but the control housing must stay dry. It is not a wet saltwater beach detector: ground handling is automatic only, with no saltwater setting, and conductive wet salt sand gives difficult ground responses. In heavily mineralized soil, a concentric coil like the stock 7 x 10 inch can be harder to work than a suitable DD coil. For saltwater beaches, the ACE Apex has a Multi-Salt setting, and for wading with the whole detector, Garrett's AT Pro is submersible to 10 ft (3 m).
Coils and Accessories That Fit the Garrett ACE 300
The ACE 300 takes Garrett's ACE series coils. In this collection that includes the 4.5 inch ACE Sniper for tight, trashy spots, the 5 x 8 inch DD PROformance, the 6 x 11 inch DD Viper for ACE, the 8.5 x 11 inch PROformance DD, the 9 x 12 inch concentric and the 14 x 11 inch DD Reaper for ACE, plus the stock 7 x 10 inch concentric as a spare. The Multi-Flex Viper, Raider, Ripper and Reaper coils made for the ACE Apex do not fit the ACE 300. We recommend a DD coil, such as the 5 x 8 inch or the 8.5 x 11 inch, for iron-heavy or mineralized ground.
For audio, the ACE 300 takes Garrett's MS-2 or TreasureSound headphones and any other headphones with a 1/4 inch plug. Wireless audio on the ACE 300 needs Garrett's external Z-Lynk module, the Garrett Z-Lynk Wireless System with 1/4 inch jack. For recovery, the Garrett Pro-Pointer AT is waterproof to 20 ft (6 m) with an IP68 rating. Coil covers, the ACE Environmental Cover-Up, armrest parts and the Tallman shaft extension are in this collection too.
Garrett ACE Series Comparison: ACE 300, ACE 400 and ACE Apex
All three current ACE models share the 0 to 99 Digital Target ID, eight sensitivity levels, electronic pinpointing and Garrett's 3-year warranty. The differences are frequency, coil, iron handling, power and wireless audio.
| Feature | Garrett ACE 300 | Garrett ACE 400 | Garrett ACE Apex |
|---|
| Technology | Single frequency | Single frequency | Multi-Flex multi-frequency |
| Frequencies | 8 kHz, frequency adjust F1 to F4 | 10 kHz, frequency adjust F1 to F4 | 5, 10, 15 or 20 kHz, Multi-Frequency, Multi-Salt |
| Standard Coil | 7 x 10 inch PROformance concentric | 8.5 x 11 inch PROformance DD | 6 x 11 inch DD Multi-Flex Viper (8.5 x 11 inch DD Raider on Raider packages) |
| Coils That Fit | ACE series coils | ACE series coils | Apex Multi-Flex coils only |
| Search Modes | 5 plus Pinpoint | 5 plus Pinpoint | 6 plus Pinpoint (adds US Coins) |
| Digital Target ID | 0 to 99 | 0 to 99 | 0 to 99 |
| Audio Tones | 3 | 3 | 5, hybrid binary and proportional |
| Iron Audio | No | Yes | Yes, with 8 Iron Volume levels |
| Iron Discrimination | 4 iron segments (Iron Check) | 4 iron segments (Iron Check) | 20 notch pixels, 8 of them iron |
| Ground Balance | Automatic | Automatic | 175 points, ferrous ground to saltwater |
| Water | Coil submersible, control housing not | Coil submersible, control housing not | Coil submersible, control box not |
| Wireless Audio | Z-Lynk with Garrett's external Z-Lynk module | Z-Lynk with Garrett's external Z-Lynk module | Z-Lynk built in |
| Headphone Jack | 1/4 inch | 1/4 inch | 1/8 inch |
| Power | 4 AA, 20 to 40 hours | 4 AA, 20 to 40 hours | Built-in lithium-ion, up to about 15 hours, Micro-USB charging |
| Weight | 2.8 lb (1.27 kg) | 2.9 lb (1.32 kg) | Not listed by Garrett |
| Warranty | 3 years, limited parts and labor | 3 years, limited parts and labor | 3 years, limited parts and labor |
Read our Garrett ACE 300 vs 400 comparison for more help choosing between the two.
Why Buy the Garrett ACE 300 Metal Detector from Serious Detecting?
- Free Shipping on Orders Over $99: Your Garrett ACE 300 ships at no extra cost across the continental US.
- Authorized Garrett Dealer: Showroom in Ypsilanti, Michigan, full 3-year manufacturer warranty and product registration support.
- Help Before and After You Buy: Our staff answer setup, coil and ACE Series questions by phone or email.
