Should I Sell My GPX 5000 To Get An Axiom?

[Steve Herschbach]

“Based on gold nugget performance only. I don’t care about the ergonomics one way or the other. Will the Axiom for sure make lots of finds I can’t possibly make with my GPX 5000? Should I sell my GPX to get the Axiom based on that assumption?”

That’s the question that was posed to me. And my short answer is no. The Axiom is in the same general ballpark as the GPX 5000, but there is no particular reason to think its performance is different enough to make a real difference. What one will normally find, the other one probably will also. Though coils are a factor, and at six coils versus over 100 the GPX has a definite edge. I’d bet on a 5000 with 18” round mono on a four ounce nugget at depth versus Axiom with 14”x16” mono every time. On small gold things get more interesting, but a 5000 with a 6x8 Sadie coil is no slouch.

So while I’m an Axiom fan, I’m not telling any GPX 5000 owners they need to switch based purely on performance. Especially if you are very comfortable with the 5000 in general. If you own no PI at all and are looking for one or the other, well, that’s a more interesting question for sure. I lean Axiom myself if that’s the case, but if a person is only interested in multi ounce gold at depth, well, it’s the coils again. It just depends on the person and the situation as to which might be the better pick.

If anyone does go from any of the battery on harness Minelabs to an Axiom it would be great to hear how it’s worked out, one way or the other.

[Cascade Steven]

Thanks for your perspective.  Again, much appreciated.

[Steve Herschbach]

It’s honestly a bit of a trick question and answer. I personally do think ergonomics matter, and for my uses if offered both a GPX 5000 and Axiom for general use I’m going to grab the Axiom in most cases. I like the lighter weight with integrated battery, built in speaker, and extra water resistance. No harness and bungee for me. In general the Axiom also has an edge on the smaller gold. The only way I would personally grab the 5000 instead would be for very large nuggets at depth, and even with the 5000 that requires an optional larger coil to get the extra benefit.

Add it all up and a person with a 5000 may or may not want to switch. A person with neither looking at their first PI, well, I’m advocating for Axiom for multiple reasons. Not just the ergonomics as already mentioned, but the ease of learning how to run the beasts. The 5000 is pretty overwhelming for a new user, whereas Axiom is as simple as you can ask for.

 

[abenson]

1 hour ago, Steve Herschbach said:

It’s honestly a bit of a trick question and answer. I personally do think ergonomics matter, and for my uses if offered both a GPX 5000 and Axiom for general use I’m going to grab the Axiom in most cases. I like the lighter weight with integrated battery, built in speaker, and extra water resistance. No harness and bungee for me. In general the Axiom also has an edge on the smaller gold. The only way I would personally grab the 5000 instead would be for very large nuggets at depth, and even with the 5000 that requires an optional larger coil to get the extra benefit.

Add it all up and a person with a 5000 may or may not want to switch. A person with neither looking at their first PI, well, I’m advocating for Axiom for multiple reasons. Not just the ergonomics as already mentioned, but the ease of learning how to run the beasts. The 5000 is pretty overwhelming for a new user, whereas Axiom is as simple as you can ask for.

 

Totally agree Steve! Although I don't have an Axiom, I have had one in my hands a few times. After using a bunch of GP and GPX models in the past, at this point in my life I don't think I'll ever go back to one. Ergonomics are the key here, internal battery, wireless headphones, etc. And although there are accessories you can buy that can make the GPX more ergonomic, the Axiom is just so much more enjoyable to use. Once after market coils come available for the Axiom, any gap in performance between the 5000 and Axiom would probably close right up on all target sizes. If I didn't already own a GPX 6000 I would jump on an Axiom in a heartbeat.

[Beeper Bob]

I love my 5000. If you want to improve the performance buy a nugget finder evolution it will be like a new detector.

[phrunt]

The GPX 4500/5000 from my experience have quite large detection holes, or targets they're weak on even though the size of the nuggets should be well within their reach, I have a number of nuggets sizes that the GPX 4500 and 5000 should love yet they struggle to hit on them, and in some cases miss them entirely.  

I'm not sure about the Axiom but this is the biggest problem I find with the GPX 4500/5000, switching timings can help in some cases but not all and you're not exactly going to run over areas in all different timings to ensure you got it all, well you could but it's easier just to use another detector without this issue.  

Later detectors like the GPZ and GPX 6000 hit these same "difficult" nuggets fine, so technology has evolved.  

[Steve Herschbach]

On 8/2/2023 at 1:58 PM, phrunt said:

The GPX 4500/5000 from my experience have quite large detection holes, or targets they're weak on even though the size of the nuggets should be well within their reach, I have a number of nuggets sizes that the GPX 4500 and 5000 should love yet they struggle to hit on them, and in some cases miss them entirely.  

I'm not sure about the Axiom but this is the biggest problem I find with the GPX 4500/5000, switching timings can help in some cases but not all and you're not exactly going to run over areas in all different timings to ensure you got it all, well you could but it's easier just to use another detector without this issue.  

Later detectors like the GPZ and GPX 6000 hit these same "difficult" nuggets fine, so technology has evolved.  

That sums up the issue with the 5000 and earlier in a nutshell. Each timing has good spots and bad spots. They all miss something, so you need to hunt multiple modes in any given area to get the same coverage that you’d have with the 6000, 7000, or Axiom. On the plus side those modes can handle weird ground and rocks like nothing else. They might miss some gold, but if the area is undetectable with anything else it’s not what you miss, but what you get.

From https://www.detectorprospector.com/magazine/steves-guides/minelab-gpx-4000-4500-5000-manuals-timing-charts/