You do realize that not everybody adds all of that stuff to their AR's right? My 14.5 doesn't have any optics, BUIS, rails, etc. and that is out of choice, not a lack of funding or other reasons. That said some times those items have their place and there are ways to add items like that and not loose the balance. Going with a shorter barrel like you did is one way. Going with a lightweight profile barrel is another way. I try to find a happy medium between weight, balance, utility, etc. Some times the weapon ends up front heavy but why start off that way if you don't have to?You can find that statement any way you wish but the fact remains that by the time you put on optics, BUIS, possibly a change in stock etc, any "balance" difference of that 1.5" barrel length is gone
What's BS is that statement. There is no part out there that you can't install on a 14.5" upper with a permanent FH (that you can on a weapon without one). If you plan it out ahead of time it's no big deal at all. If you decide to add something later, depending on what it is it may be a little harder and\or cost a little more but it is still do-able. All that has to be done is cut\grind the old FH off and after the new part is installed, permanently attach a new FH. No that isn't as cheap or easy as just unscrewing a FH but it's not that hard or expensive either.And if you're not willing to go down the NFA route, you limit yourself even further with the 14.5 by having to fool with that "permanent attachment" BS.
Don't forget that the only time you would have to do that is if you just had to have a one-piece FF rail and didn't have the foresight to install it before permanently attaching the FH. Let's also not forget that there are plenty of rails out there (both FF and non FF) that do not require any of that.
Probably more importantly, how often does the average shooter do that? Sure there are some Gucci shooters that are always switching parts out for the latest and greatest add on but they represent a very small minority.
If people want 16" barrels that fine, I just wish people would quit overstating the negative aspects of the 14.5" barrels