Weapons: Distressed - PHX-15 in .223 Rem Wylde

Distressed is the new MultiCam. Henning Hoffmann (Die Waffenkultur) presents two AR-15 rifles in this special surface refinement. The PHX-15 rifles are produced by Marcel Schreiterer with his new company schreiterer.com

The purely purpose-oriented MIL-Spec housing (also by Aero Precision) differs in details from the premium line.

In the fiercely competitive AR-15 market, a manufacturer must offer something special to impress the customer. In addition to functional reliability, high-quality components and assemblies are also important purchase criteria. Depending on the legal situation or the reasons for acquisition, buying more than one AR-15 is unlikely in the Federal Republic, so the user also sees optical unique selling points as additional benefits.

schreiterer.com

Marcel Schreiterer, who can be assumed to have years of experience and competence in the development and construction of AR-15 systems, attracted attention in spring 2020 with his new company in Werdau, West Saxony. Under the label schreiterer.com, he offers not only weapons and ammunition trading, but also weapon refinements and proprietary AR-15s in various production lines.

Radius instead of edge and even the takedown pins play a design-carrying role.

The Phoenix Program

In accordance with the trademark, a stylized phoenix, the AR rifles are sold as PHX-15. The housing parts are sourced from, among others, the US manufacturerAero Precision. Aero Precision takes a special approach to the shaping of its housing parts, which is significantly different from the purely purpose-oriented MIL-Spec AR-15. Corners and edges are mostly worked as a radius, the fire selector has tasteful pictograms, and even the charging handle by Strike Industries is not just a standard round knob. In addition, Aero Precision offers aesthetic M-Lok handguards with normal or smaller grip sizes. A special feature here is the continuous Picatinny rail from upper receiver to handguard, which allows for a seamless optic mounting if necessary.

The Picatinny rail is continuous. The handguard in the image has a narrow grip size.

At Aero Precision, the customer has the choice between a standard attachment of the handguard via the barrel nut or a flanged attachment directly to the upper receiver, allowing the barrel of an AR-15 to be (almost) free-floating. Design plays a role even in the Strike Industries takedown pins.

The grip and stock can of course be equipped with popular Magpul parts. A Geissele SSA-E trigger operates in the housing.

The barrel can be freely chosen by the customer in contour, fluting and twist, and preferably comes from Lothar Walther.

The aesthetics of the Aero Precision handguards are accentuated by the distressed used look.

Surface Finish

The so-called "Black Rifles" of the AR-15 family are no longer just black. The rustic-functional variant of Krylon spraying in past years has been replaced by the possibility of Cerakote coating or supplemented by the partially artfully looking hydrographic printing. Nowadays, there is nothing impossible in terms of surface design in weapon construction.

In the image below, the handguard is flanged, allowing the barrel to swing freely.

A relatively new method is Cerakote distressed. After color-coating with Cerakote, an "Used Look" is achieved through extra fine sanding. Especially on the abundant rounded edges of the Aero Precision housing parts, an interesting look is created, which will surely find its enthusiasts.

The two rifles shown are coated in Foliage Green Distressed and Desert Sand Distressed.

CONCLUSION: For those looking for something beautiful and not wanting an off-the-shelf AR-15, they should check out the PHX-15 from schreiterer.com. Especially the aesthetically crafted handguards from Aero Precision combined with the distressed used look are a feast for the eyes.

Service:

www.schreiterer.com

Weberstraße 27

D-08412 Werdau

Coating: Desert Sand Distressed.

Coating: Foliage Green Distressed.