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I have an aero precision stripped lower that I am building up right now. I am trying to decide what brand I should look at for uppers or full build kits to complete it. From the looking I have done it is most likely between PSA and BCA. So if anyone has any advice on which to pick or other suggestions, I am all ears. I am looking to make a cheaper gun but not a piece of shit gun. I was also looking at Ceratac, if anyone has had any experience w. them. I've dealt with their customer service just to ask questions and they were very helpful but they're extremely cheap so I get worried. So any help would be appreciated. Sorry for the wall of text.

TL/DR: I'm building an AR15 and need to buy a cheap(yet somewhat reliable) brand complete upper receiver, any suggestions, advice, warnings, or otherwise relevant information is welcomed and will be appreciated.

I have an aero precision stripped lower that I am building up right now. I am trying to decide what brand I should look at for uppers or full build kits to complete it. From the looking I have done it is most likely between PSA and BCA. So if anyone has any advice on which to pick or other suggestions, I am all ears. I am looking to make a cheaper gun but not a piece of shit gun. I was also looking at Ceratac, if anyone has had any experience w. them. I've dealt with their customer service just to ask questions and they were very helpful but they're extremely cheap so I get worried. So any help would be appreciated. Sorry for the wall of text. TL/DR: I'm building an AR15 and need to buy a cheap(yet somewhat reliable) brand complete upper receiver, any suggestions, advice, warnings, or otherwise relevant information is welcomed and will be appreciated.

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[–] • 1 pt

Few last things:

PantsAnt mentioned free floating, I do agree with that. The barrel "whips" when shooting. That whip adds to accuracy (once again wholly dependent on the shooter) but free floating allows the "whip" with no interference in the harmonics of the barrel, it hence subjective better accuracy. Look at a slow motion Mini14 for barrel whip.

Note: I fucking hate talking about accuracy. It's all subjective to the fucking shooter. It's goddamn keyboard warrior talk and its a waste of time, but you will read this shit time and time again so I will list all the "accurate" shit to pimp your AR. DON'T GET SUCKED INTO THE DEBATE, BUY A RIFLE AND SHOOT IT*

Standard trigger replacement a must: 6-8lb stock pull is horrific. I'm not a big fan of all-in-one drop in triggers since Chimney had issues in a couple of their first designs. However, drop ins are now TOP quality. I still don't like them because if they fail, you can't just replace a part of them.

You can replace sear catch springs and hammers strike springs, these work great and take pull to about 4/4.5-5 lbs. Some spring suffer from light hammers strikes (read reviews if going this direction.)

Single stage triggers are the stock design. Clean break, clean reset. My personal favorite. If I pull I don't want to waste time taking up slack. If it's for defense or offense, single stage. Some good crisp single stages out there.

2 stage/match triggers. Take up slack at the start, then super light break. Excellent match triggers, fun for critter or bench. Either trigger at 3-4 pounds are far more accurate than stock. You can take trigger pull down to 2lbs but that light of a pull you also risk AD.

Sites: A good scope is worth all the money. Enough said. Most of the time you get what you pay for when it comes to optics. If it's inexpensive: it's cheap or unknown. If it's expensive it's because it was used in the middle east and it works. Iron sights always work.

Barrel length: Longer barrel = more accurate and faster velocity. It's situational. 16" standard will be accurate in all circumstances (shooter dependent). You CAN clear rooms with 20" barrels but WHY!?

Heavy barrel = more accurate due to less whip. But they ARE HEAVY. Carrying a 16" heavy barrel isn't any fun.

And that's it. Shoot more, become better, become better, shoot more.

[–] • 0 pt

Hey man, first off just gotta say thank you. This is exactly the type of knowledge I was looking for. I had already decide that my first upgrade would be a new trigger, but I just assumed drop in was the way to go. You def make a good point though, so I might rethink that. I have been looking at shorter barrels. Mainly 10.5". I have heard that anything shorter than 14" with an AR is too short (I forget the reason why. It was either that length was the minimum for desired velocity or accuracy, I forget which).

I just figured I would not be doing a lot of long distance shooting but I might be doing a lot of maneuvering, esp possibly indoors.ive heard that shorter than 7" shoots fireballs, and as cool as that sound, I was thinkn 10.5 seemed like a decent middle ground/starting point.

Thanks again tho. I appreciate the information.

[–] • 0 pt

Last heads up: You have to register barrel lengths shorter than 16" with the ATF, it costs $200. You basically let go of some of your constitutional rights to own a short barrel or suppressor or full auto. It's a FED offense (prison time) to get caught with SBR, so consider where you live. However, if you buy a SBR and hide it so that when SHTF then nobody but you will know.

You can register the AR as a "Pistol" AR and use a "brace" and for now, technically, it's legal.

Buy a 16", then if you really like shooting or have a need for anything shorter, then decide what you want to do.

[–] • 0 pt

Thank you. Sorry for the late response. I haven't been on here at all. I have another ? For you if it's ok. I was looking at a kit on PSA. https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-10-5-5-56-nato-1-7-nitride-9-m-lok-moe-ept-sba3-pistol-kit.html This one. And in the comments someone asks if it will work with a piston kit. The answer given was " no, it's a DI assembled upper". What does that mean? Lol. Also I'm about to pull the trigger and but this kit. Thoughts? Also I live in a good gun state. No extra bullshit for AR pistols unless you make it a SBR.