I should rephrase. You're "financially" stuck because who wants to pay $1000+ for a Colt 6920 then spend more to trim the FSB and add a free float handguard when you can buy a rifle setup with those things from the beginning? And who wants to buy a brand new Colt and immediately pull the barrel? I mean sure, you can do that. But it sounds like a pretty silly thing to do financially to me.
Not at all. I pulled the 16" barrel from my Colt 6920 and sold it for enough to cover the cost of a new Colt 14.5" SOCOM barrel.
You can cut your own FSB for nothing.
Not all free float tubes are created equal. No AR is available with the free float tube I want. Most ARs that come with free float tubes are lacking other things I look for. What is the primary advantage of a free float tube? Precision. However, how much precision will a free float tube get you if you're not shooting costlier precision ammo? Most people shoot blaster ammo. I see no improvement in precision with a free float tube compared to drop in handguards when using blaster grade ammo.
And maybe I'm wrong, but an overgassed middy with a carbine weight buffer is worse than a 16" carbine gas system? Worse in what way? A $25 buffer would be pretty cheap compared to all the modification you listed as option for the Colt. And personally, it's probably a good idea to have a few different weight buffers in your parts bin anyway.
Buffers don't fix over gassing. Even if you drop an H or H2 behind an over gassed middy, it's still over gassed. Over gassed or under buffered (RE- carbine weight buffer) ARs have sharper recoil. ARs that are over gassed
and under buffered are worse.
The 5.56 doesn't generate much recoil. In the AR, I think recoil is about 5 ft/lbs. But when recoil is sharp, even at such low levels, it starts to hurt after awhile.
Note: My comments about buffers apply using full power 5.56 ammo. Things change when using powder puff competition ammo or other calibers.
It's going to take a lot to convince me that Colt is nothing but an overpricee my-little-pony roll mark (oh wait, they don't even do rollmarks anymore).
It's your money, it's your rifle. But, one problem with roll marking is controlling the pressure. Not enough pressure and the markings are shallow and incomplete. Too much pressure and the part being marked can be damaged. Another problem is the roll dies wear out and making new dies is expensive.
Machine & laser engraving is cheaper, easier to set up and easier to control quality.
I've given out more than a bit of hard won knowledge gained from experience & training. You don't have to accept it. I'm just sumdumgoy on the internet. But if you dismiss it without fact checking, you'll miss an opportunity to learn (or prove me wrong).