Nuggets of News Blog 

Gold can hide down in the deepest part of a crack or crevice or behind a boulder and often is best reached with a hand dredge, also called a "sucker gun" or "suction gun." This gold prospecting tool is ideal for working below the water line when a motorized dredge cannot be used. It helps you get the gold out of some really tight spaces, a hand dredge is well, handy, when you're prospecting along a river. If you've found a rich spot that is hard to access, these two hand dredges can produce some decent gold! Also check out the many accessories that make your hand dredge even better!

X-Stream Hybrid Pro
The pump uses two leather cups back-to-back, attached to the plunger handle, to move material into the pump and out through the hose. When wet, these cups will seat in the barrel of the pump. When first using your pump, placing the leather cups in water for a few minutes will allow them to conform to the diameter of the pump barrel and work more effectively.

The check valves have white marks on the “top” side. For the system to work most effectively, these marks should be pointed upwards. The flappers in the pumps hang on hinges which work best when the hinges are at the apex of the flow.

Clamps are not necessary unless you plan to use the system in strong current and want to be extra cautious. For users in deeper water or stronger current, consider wrapping a leash around the lid and tie it off at your waist to prevent the bucket from breaking away.

Avoid moving overburden with the hand dredge. Cut into the heavy sand with a shovel, then use the X-Stream hand pump to remove the target material from the bottom of the area. Don’t press down into heavy sand, but rather just hover the nozzle at the top layer so it can get sand and water, and the experience will be smoother. Keep the bucket as low as possible so you’re not pushing material uphill to get to the bucket.

The plastic valves can freeze and break if freezing occurs while they are still filled with water. Keep the pump inside warm and dry areas while not using. More about the X-Stream Hand Dredge here.

Quick-Sniper

The Quick Sniper is a tool that uses some new ideas to help you collect the hard-to-get gold from heavy sands under boulders, in crevices, and behind obstructions. The “NOZZLE” of the Quick-Sniper is where the magic happens. Inside the nozzle is a short white plastic pipe that extends into the tube. This allows you to pump the handle four or five times before you need to take steps to collect sand and gravel. Instead of pulling the handle and then ejecting the material into a pan or bucket after each pull, the cavity created inside the tube will hold your heavies, allowing water and the lightest material to swirl out and go back into the water before you pull again. Shaking the pump gently will transfer the heaviest of sands and gravel deeper into the cavity. Then, after you have repeated this action a few times, pull off the cap and dump the contents of the pump into your pan or bucket. The flexible tube extending from the end of the nozzle is designed to pull out, allowing you to extend the reach of the tube about 4-5 inches. If this tube is sliding too easily, wrap some electrical tape around the inner end, and it will be more secure within the Quick-Sniper.

The leather cup inside the tube is designed to provide years of effective service. When  you are preparing to use the Quick Sniper, just soak the leather cup for 10-15 minutes in cool water, then insert it back into the pump for ready use. The top rim of the pump is rounded out so you can remove and replace the leather cup without damaging it. The cap is designed to remove easily so you can dump your material into a pan or bucket. Some people prefer the cap to be tighter, and this can be achieved by wrapping black electrical tape around the top of the pump body two times. The friction will keep the cap in place and will easily release the cap with a gentle outward “pop” of the plunger.  More about Quick Sniper here.