re: If you want to own an AR-15, you should build it

There are lots of options out there.

Any stripped lower is about the same. CMMG, Stag, bushie, all are the same. No reason to spend much on a lower.

I didn't do the kit thing. It is more stressful picking out your own parts, but at the end it is that much more satisfying.

I just went with the daniel defense lower kit. Supposedly that has one of the better triggers in these kits. That is the important part of these kits.

Now I didn't put together an upper from parts. That would be something perhaps I will try in the future, but I would need a few more tools for that one.

Buy yourself a complete upper, a stripped lower, a lower parts kit, and a stock and you are good to go.

There really shouldn't be that much stress. Once you put it together, you will want to put another together.