Wags, I understand your frustration. Im only new to the detecting game and bought a 2nd hand SDC2300 in Feb this yr after moving from SA. Found around 100 pieces of birdshot and bullets after the ban, not to mention how much of that I found before the ban. I too get slightly annoyed by some who rub it in our faces about finding 16pieces in a day or two, and digging up 2 grammers like it was common practice. I believe that they're probably on private property and/or are no doubt very experienced with Gpx5000 or Gpz7000's. I do, however, know someone who has had a 7000 for some time and has found nothing but birdshot and trash. He is probably still learning about his machine I guess as I believe they are quite complex to tune to the optimal settings. In the first 4 or 5 days after the ban I did find 4 nice little bits of gold, all under 0.4gm. The day before the ban I wish I did have the video on it coz I literally pulled up off a sealed road 8min from home, walked 40m, turned the 2300 on, tuned and balanced it and ran a few sweeps next to a old log and pulled up a 0.96gm nug about 2in down. That was about 2min including the tuning and balancing. I was literally getting in the car the next day to go back out to that spot when I saw on FB prospecting was banned....gutted. I have been out since of course and found nothing but birdshot in that same area. So, mate, if I can do it anyone can with this machine. I've found 9 bits since I've had it but now am in a dry spell which is frustrating. I admit when I found out how many people do this and with the 5000s and 7000s and different coils, I thought, why did I bother, surely those people have found it all. Most of the blokes with 2300s on YouTube don't tell you what they've got they're settings on, or how or what they adjusted the tone to, high or low. I downloaded some old Doug Stone gold maps, which did cost me but have proved to be pretty worthwhile, worked around the old timers test holes and mullocks and I have stayed away from all the popular spots that I assume have been plundered by the 5000 and 7000 owners...lol. Once you find that first bit it's on for sure. Good luck, coz a fair bit of luck is definitely what we need in this caper.