@Volucris: The deal you suggested: $1153. The bolt you suggested: $140. The charging handle you suggested: $45.
Total: $1338.
I don't even have a rear sight and I'm paying about the same as I would pay for a SIG516 Patrol (a piston gun).
I am not experienced in the AR world but is there some reason why I'm paying the same amount of money for a DI gun as I would normally pay for a piston gun?
Because the direct impingement system is inherent to the AR-15 rifle. It was not designed to use a piston system. There is no point in rigging it to use a piston system. A proper, military spec AR-15 upper will run thousands upon thousands of rounds of ammunition without problems. Read this:
http://www.03designgroup.com/reviews/bcm-complete-ar15-upper-and-lower-receivers
That deal only came out to that much because you didn't read my post very well if at all. I said get a lower separately. A complete lower with car stock is about $250.
That upper:$655
That BCG and CH: $185
Total for upper without rear sight: $840
This is because the rail system is expensive. Rails are not cheap. The samson crap Stag wants to sell you is heavy and at a high profit margin.
Rear sight:
The Magpul MBUS latest gen are quite good. Used Matech 600m sights are good. Carry handle rear sights are always reliable and can be had for $30 from people going to an optic setup.
So at around $50 for a rear iron sight:
$890 for the upper total
Add $250 for a completed lower:
$1140 total
Or you can get a complete one from AIM but pay the excise tax and the price they charge for their lowers:
http://www.aimsurplus.com/catalog.aspx?groupid=11
That would be one hell of a rifle. It's a lot cheaper than the Stag rifle too because if you haven't noticed, they charge on top of $1145 about $200 for a rail system and limit you to two types.
I'm talking to you about a rifle you can do everything with and depend on it to protect your life. Something with the utmost reliability. If you want something to go sit at a bench at a shooting range and punch holes at paper slowly at 50 yards then just get the cheapest AR you can get (about $600 on the used market). Don't be surprised if the chamber is bad, the barrel twist rate sucks, the bolt lugs crack off, the gas key separates, it only likes some ammo, etc. There are too many crap companies that just want to cut corners and push out something that looks and mostly acts like a good Colt but just for a little less money. It's a terrible thing.
For building a lower you can get one online for about $60, transfer for around $20, then get a lower build kit from Palmetto State Armory for under $250 all in. Lowers are lowers. They don't take much stress at all and just align the hammer to smack the firing pin when you want it to.
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