By the way, it's GREAT to have all of you giving me your advice.
THANK YOU!!!!
I'll certainly have to let you all know what I eventually build, and post pictures...
But we're not done yet.
So far I know I need:
WAR upper receiver
10.5" barrel with gas port for suppressor (not sure which manufacturer)
A good quality suppressor (suggestions that make sense for this build?)
QD muzzle device for suppressor
Pistol length buffer tube with paracord cover
LAW tube folding kit
Geissele SSA-E trigger (I used them on my .308 and long-range 5.56 and fell in love)
YHM Extended takedown pins (I put these on all of my builds)
KNS Anti- rotating hammer/trigger pins (I put these on all of my builds)
10" Carbon-fiber handguard (I think Delta Team Tactical has them on sale for $46)
Standard BCG
Pistol length gas tube
STEEL low-profile gas block
Dimple-making tool
LPK (they're pretty much all the same, aren't they?)
80% lower
pistol grip (likely one with the reduced grip angle)
Maybe a TRS-32 red-dot
Suggestions?
Did I miss anything?
Not reading through 9 pages of stuff, but...
No, not all LPK's are the same. Anderson has had a horrid rash of misfit parts lately, mostly in the area of defective hammers/disconnects, but also with really rough finishes and overall poor fitment. The problem has shown up in PSA kits too.
You would only save maybe $20-$25 buying a cheap LPK vs a quality one, so don't skimp. Find a quality one less FCG.
Also, I just don't understand the desire for anti-rotation pins. Has to be for aesthetics. Geissele ships their premium FCG's with precision ground pins and are of high quality. If installed correctly, they will not walk out....period. You're not rocking full auto for thousands of rounds with it, so distorting the receiver pin holes is not going to be of a concern.
They really just make removing the FCG a pain in the ass...
SLR makes the barrel dimple jig for $26. Use a quality 5/32 jobber bit and hand drill. Easy to do. Only need one dimple as well.
If going with 5.56 steer away from pistol gas, carbine is as short as I would go, even in a 10.5"
If you can go 11.5", Sionics has the barrel you need. High quality, reasonably priced, and most important, correct port size. This saves you the need for a barrel dimple jig as they come dimpled already and use of a standard receiver and forego that WAR option.
Vltor makes the A5 RE in pistol config. It would further mitigate the recoil impulse and harshness that accompany the shorter, higher pressure gas systems. You could DIY wrap the tube yourself. Since you will use the LAW adapter, the extra length of the RE and barrel will be minimal in the grand scheme of things.
Laslty, if you can bump your budget, the BCM KMR is super lightweight, robust and has a very solid attachment method. I would highly recommend it over a carbon fiber option. Hell, I think the KMR's are lighter than most of the carbon fiber options anyways. They are releasing the MLOK version late this summer if by Christmas as well in case you do not like the dick shaped keymod slots....
My $.02....excuse me if all this was previously mentioned, I guess reading the 9 pages would have been easier than typing all of this.