Shadow x-5

[RL OH]

I have tried most every detector made, but have yet to try a Shadow. They seemed to be popular with the relic hunters 6 or 7 years ago and they never seem to come up for sale. I found one last week that a dealer took on trade and since I have made several purchases from this dealer, I trusted his judgement when he said it was mint. I got the detector last Friday and it was mint and I have used it three times for a total of 12 hours. The first 8 hours were OK, but I was not overly impressed, but today, I got real comfortable with it. I hunt coins and figured the 19hz frequency would not be good for copper and silver coins. The first thing I noticed about the x-5 was the quality build. It is the best constructed detector I have ever used. It is light. It is responsive. It is deep. As a coinshooter, it does very well. It has a feature called "coin check", which is a spring loaded lever. Hold it up and it has a preset disc from zinc and up. Hold it down and it is a preset from nickle and down. It seemed out of wack for the first seven or eight hours, but today, I started digging the not quite clear signal(alittle static) and I dug some 7 to 8 inch deep nickles and wheat pennies. I can sense that there is a couple of more inches of depth available, which makes this detector as deep as the multifrequency detectors I have used. I hunt with low disc and being a single tone detector, I am now starting to hear the slight differences between coins and pulltabs. I also dug some small lead buck shot from an honest 9 inches so this would be an awesome relic machine. A favorable first week! R.L. Johnson

 

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[U.K. Brian]

I only recently sold mine (wife still has the X3 with stock and web coils). I was supposed to be selling an XP Goldmaxx but the buyer ended up on my test bed and made me an offer I couldn't refuse on the Shadow.

Build quality is Fisher, with only the X2 being made by Tesoro.

My only problem with the Shadow is that I live near old coal bearing and industrial areas and I would get really deep good sounding signals at depth which were coal/coke. The discrimination setting is also rather critical in Europe, go a fraction higher than you should and thats our small hammered gone.

 

[SouthArk]

I bought my X-5 in 2001, and used it exclusively until a couple of months ago...... when I bought my F75. When I was in the market for a new detector back at that time, I asked a trusted friend and dealer just which machine I should buy. He knew that 99.9 % of my MD'ing was relic hunting, and didn't hesitate to recomend Troy's X-5.

Without a doubt (but, my F75 is still growing on me), the X-5 was the best machine I had ever used. Like has already been mentioned, it is extremely sensitive to smaller targets. I have found percussion caps at 8" or so with it....... buck shot in the same range.... as well as small cuff buttons, etc. It was really good at target seperation as well....... with me being able to hunt in the trashier areas (using some discrimination, of course). I would normally hunt with the disc. set at 3 or 3.5...... checking the signals with the "coin check" toggle switch. If I got the same sounding repeatable signal when the toggle was pulled to the nickel check...... I would dig it. However, I do believe that using this toggle to set the disc. up a notch..... would affect the depth. So, if I got that sweet 'round" sound...... and it was just whispering to me..... I could dig even deeper relics. I know with certainty that I dug bullets in the bottoms at Jenkins Ferry at 12" plus...... beyond the initial reach of my Lesche Shovel. I could post many more stories about using this machine, but some would call me a liar, probably..... so I'll avoid that situation.

Another great attribute was its weight...... I think like 2 1/2 pounds including the one 9-volt battery....... which seemed to last forever. You could swing this unit all day!

Before I got my Detector Pro Pirate (wader), I even rigged up a bungy cord to the X-5, the other end attached to my belt...... so that I could hunt the water with it without fear of dropping it into the water....... again, it did a remarkable job.

I used this machine for over 8 years, and I did become very familiar with it. I wanted a new detector..... which I did get. This was partially due to the fact that coils and parts were getting increasing hard to find for the X-5..... since it is no longer in production. I hope Troy is still working toward a new release detector. I woudn't hesitate to own another of his machines..... (I would even field test a production model, if he wished!!!!!

I still carry the Shadow with me on every trip...... as a back up to the F75. My boss even used it for his first ever detecting trip last weekend........ finding 6 Civil War bullets and a knap sack hook...... now if that ain't a testament to this machine...... with its ease and simplicity of use!

Happy Hunting!

 

[U.K. Brian]

Great machine for travel with its combination of light weight and a shaft that breaks down in two places rather than one so it can be packed in a fairly small bag. Others have done similar but flex and creak when your sweeping which drives me nuts.

Also I shouldn't be forgotten that it will survive the rain without a cover better than other machines with covers. Still hasn't struck many manufacturers that detectors are used outside.

 

[oldbill]

I had the X-5 when they first came out hated it cause I lived in hot rock country but now years later I wish I gave it a chance. I think the quality of built was the best on any detector I have used. Yes I hope Troy doesa come out with a new product! Bill

 

[dazoff]

Mine loves gold Having a machine that can hunt the west coast rain is a plus without a rain cover.

Troy is making progress on the new machine.