A little while back, I was watching a vid on a review of a higher end AR and the guy (can't remember who it was now) made the comment that your first AR should be a basic, lower tier shooter grade gun. His idea was that you buy a good AR and then shoot the heck out of it while figuring out what you like and don't like. Make changes and then shoot some more right up until you figure out what works for you and what does not. When you find what you really like, then invest in a higher end rifle that meets those specs.
Sadly, as good advice as that might be, it's not the route I took. I just kept buying ARs in different configs and it took a long time and a bucket of money to figure out what I like. What I've figured out is that I like a PW 14.5" 5.56 with a light free float MLok hand guard, full A2 stock, LaRue M2-TBS trigger, Magpul grip, offset BUIS and 1-6x LVPO. I'm not saying that it's the best config out there, but just that it's the one that I enjoy the most and seems to cover all of my needs pretty well. I have a couple that roughly fit that spec but none of them exactly. The one below is the closest to that spec but is 16" and missing the BUIS so far. I need to consolidate the various parts into a single rifle now.
What about everyone else? What is the config you'd choose to take with you on an extended cross country trip?
Sadly, as good advice as that might be, it's not the route I took. I just kept buying ARs in different configs and it took a long time and a bucket of money to figure out what I like. What I've figured out is that I like a PW 14.5" 5.56 with a light free float MLok hand guard, full A2 stock, LaRue M2-TBS trigger, Magpul grip, offset BUIS and 1-6x LVPO. I'm not saying that it's the best config out there, but just that it's the one that I enjoy the most and seems to cover all of my needs pretty well. I have a couple that roughly fit that spec but none of them exactly. The one below is the closest to that spec but is 16" and missing the BUIS so far. I need to consolidate the various parts into a single rifle now.
What about everyone else? What is the config you'd choose to take with you on an extended cross country trip?