I have 9 ARs… 3 of which are SBRs. Only one that was completely factory built was my Colt 6920.

Got it for the price ($900 from PSA) and being it is close to what I qualify with at work. We actually have one 6920 in rotation with the M4s. I got it when I ditched the Tavor. Aimpoint PRO, Surefire Scout light… mostly everything else is OEM Colt (ambidextrous selector is, but I put in a Norgon magazine release). It isn’t my most commonly used AR, but if I don’t want to file the paperwork to take the SBR… it’s a good option.

Most of the ARs out there will be fine for 95% of people. One of my SBRs is a PSA with a binary trigger… and that thing runs like a raped ape. I did have to send it back because the front sight block was canted so the rear sight was pushed all the way to one side, but they got it squared away. Find a manufacturer that covers their firearms, shoot it to confirm it works… if something breaks, send it back for repair and start shooting it again to confirm it works.

I may buy one of the PSA/H&R retro rifles… just because I always wanted one with the triangle handguard. But if I were getting something for another reason, like a specific purpose AR, I’d likely build a stripped lower and find an upper that meets my needs. I’ve built uppers before, but end of the day… if there is a problem with a build, it is likely going to be with the upper. Factory upper doesn’t work, send it back for repair.