re: help on an AR-15 build

Yeep that's a pretty good option but can I suggest just paying a few more dollars and getting one of their mlok hand guards.

LINK

Something more along the lines of this. They have lots of other options as well if you bought the bolt carrier and charging handle separate but this wouldn't be a bad setup.

Well the link I just posted has what is called a freefloated barrel. Meaning nothing rests on the barrel besides where it joins the upper receiver. This is generally more of accurate setup than a polymer handguard like the link you posted, as the hanguard rests and gets support from the barrel. Also this setup puts you pretty far ahead of the game in terms of adding accesories to your foregrip later on down the road. With the mlok handguard you can buy accessories from many different companies that have attachment devices specifically designed for that handrail. Such as angled foregrips, bumpstops, light attachments.
It's generally been the tradition to opt for a freefloated handrail over the polymer handrail and it has been an increasing trend for that hand rail to be mlok.
If you don't think the stainless barrel is your style they have nitride barrel options as well and I won't get into the differences between the two because it normaly ends in heated debates but I will say for you either will perform to much higher standards than you will ever call on them.

I had help with my first build, but it wasn't too hard. The way I see it as long as you get a complete upper everything else is cake.

I got a stripped lower, and then bought a kit from PSA that had a complete upper. The lower was relatively easy to assemble.

Example of kit: LINK

great info thanks for being so helpful, sir. Hand guards can be changed out, correct?

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so if i got an upper assembly, BCG, and charging handle separately, is that something a beginner like myself could put together?

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if you cant do this, once you get them, you probably shouldnt own an AR

So dont be discouraged just because a setup doesnt come with them

For this reason for the couple extra bucks and the added benefits of the free floated hanguard I recomend just starting out with it from the beginning.

I thought it was tougher to put together the lower than it was the upper

It can be more tricky and intricate but the upper required more specific tools. Specifically a torque wrench. But the upper is actualy very easy to assemble and maybe takes 15 minutes if you have the right tool. The lower while my necesarily hard is more detail oriented. Nether I would consider hard

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It can be more tricky and intricate but the upper required more specific tools. Specifically a torque wrench. But the upper is actualy very easy to assemble and maybe takes 15 minutes if you have the right tool. The lower while my necesarily hard is more detail oriented. Nether I would consider hard

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This. Doing an upper is all about having the right tools. Not just a torque wrench. But you have to have a barrel nut wrench one for the standard AR15 barrel nut then the free float handguard could have it's own specific tool it needs to be install. Then you need a good vise and vise block. Most people have everything they need to put together a lower in their tool box already (assuming they own basic hand tools).