Bill, I used the X-5 for 8 years as my primary relic hunting machine, and absolutely loved it. I bought an F75 about 3 months ago, and when I've been able to get out with it..... that's the machine I've been using.... trying to learn all of its intricacies.
But I fell in love with the X-5 the very first time I used it. I went to one of our pounded sites here in south Arkansas, and getting out of the truck, I could hear thunder off in the distance. I had hunted about 20 minutes or so when it began misting a little rain, but I had found a couple of case shot and a small piece of sabot, so I kept at it. I soon dug a cuff eagle button and a couple more case shot, and was recovering a suspender buckle when it started raining.... thunder getting much closer. Getting down into a dry creek bed, I dug a piece of 12 lb. spherical shell and a fired 3 ringer..... then the bottom fell out of the clouds. I was soaking wet, and when the next lightening bolt whizzed thru the air..... the X-5 crackled just before the thunder sounded. I decided it was time to head for the truck. That incident sold me on the X-5.
I'm not a heavy hitter like many of you folks here on the forums, but I've been relic hunting since 1990. (Had been a coin shooter prior to that for 6 years). But I will say this, until I learn this F75 as well as know that X-5..... the X-5 is the best relic machine I have ever personally owned. And, if Troy had come out with the new machine he's working on sooner, I'd probably have bought it instead of the F75. The X-5 is extremely sensitive to small brass...... percussion caps, etc. I even dug squirrel shot that was embedded in rotting tree linbs..... moving them around all over the floor of the woods until I would finally get them in my hands! LOL
Like I said, I used it for over 8 years and became very familiar with what it was telling me, and found more relics with it than any other machine...... great depth as well..... 3 ringers at 12+" in the sandy loam soils of the Jenkins Ferry bottoms. If you have any specific questions, please PM me and I'll try to answer them as honestly as I can.
