There is no such thing as a “pistol upper” since there’s no length limit on a pistol. Any length upper will work. (At least under federal law, I have no idea about CA law.)One more thing, if possible, ask your LGS if they have a pistol upper in stock and if they’d mind you pinning it to the lower first (if allowable by CA law) to make this a pistol that can become a rifle and back again.
I understood what you meant, I’m just saying that you don’t need to use a short upper to make it legally be a pistol per federal law. If you build an AR without a stock (and without a vertical foregrip) it’s a pistol no matter the barrel length is. There is no length limit for a pistol.When I say “pistol upper” I mean to say upper with barrel under 16” in length, commonly referred to as a “pistol upper” or “pistol length upper”.
+1 on a trigger upgrade. I have 1 AR left with a stock trigger and you never really notice how bad a mil spec trigger is until you feel install a geissele or Larue on a rifle. They will cost between $90-$200 but if you want a worthwhile upgrade for next to nothing the PSA EPT is like $40 and it's honestly great, especially after a couple hundred round break in. Huge improvement over stock trigs...If you have not yet purchased the upper, get the enhanced upper and whatever Handguard you like, more material for extra stiffness that should translate into accuracy potential
make sure you put a good trigger in it, you and your son will never regret an expensive trigger
From Merriam-Webster:I wish people would stop calling it a “build”. Unless you use a mill, surface grinder, lathe, and other devises, you’re assembling. Not building.
From Merriam-Webster:
“BUILD:
1: to form by ordering and uniting materials by gradual means into a composite whole: CONSTRUCT”
My 6-year old daughter and I “build” LEGO sets. Does that imply that we cast the plastic pieces ourselves? I just “built” a block tower with my 18-month-old. Does that imply that we made the actual blocks? Before the day is over, my 6-year-old will probably “build” a fort in the living room. I can assure you that she’s not knitting the blankets or making the chairs. “Build” is a perfectly good word to describe assembling an AR-15.
It's a colloquial term. I'ts not like most people referring to their "builds" are trying to purport that they actually machined all the pieces from scratch or something. When you "assemble" a "build" kit you've completed a "build".I wish people would stop calling it a “build”. Unless you use a mill, surface grinder, lathe, and other devises, you’re assembling. Not building.