I tend to lean towards action shooting so if I were buying something new on the high end (of mass produced) I would get a Colt, DPMS, S&W, Rock River etc. but there are a million options of what to buy ranging from cheap to expensive. Personally I would recommend a reasonable model of a flat top (w/ or w/o carrying handle just as long as removable), see how you like it and customize it to taste. AR's are so easy just about anyone can work on them. Just pay attention to the type of barrel (heavy, heavy match, medium, light etc.) and get something with probably a 1:8 twist in 5.56 NATO so you can shoot just about anything other than some of the really heavy rounds. Buying something like that gets you at least a matched lower and upper together with a bolt head spaced properly to your barrel to start with. Mixing and matching parts doesn't always work out that well and if you just want a plinker its going to be cheaper to just buy one and then customize.
My current goto gun started out a $1000 Olympic ML-1 probably 10 years ago and has undergone a number of face lifts. The only catch on the heavy match barrel on mine is its 223 Rem and 1:10 so I don't shoot anything more than about 63g in .223 Rem. I have an Eotech but usually use the Vortex Razor HD Gen II 1-6x24 gets used. Awesome scope/red dot even if heavy and $$. With that scope, barrel and forearm it weighs about 12 pounds (as much as an M14) but its dead accurate, target or otherwise, and will ping a small steel plate all day at 300yrds. Add some Federal Fusion 62g 223 and its lights out for wild pigs :eek:


