Looking for AR15 advice

[codypage76]

I have built ar15 kits for other people and now I am doing one for my self. By working on others I have decided what I want, but i need to do it on a budget with out sacrificing quality. I plan to have a mid length gas system, low to mid power scope (with QD base), standard front sight post, and a back up yhm flip sight.

1. Are the Palmetto State Armory kits a good value or do they stink?
2. Do I really need a hammer forged barrel?
3. I want it light weight, is the moe hand guard lighter than quadrails?
4. Will the yhm sight fit under most scopes?
5. Will the front sight post hinder vision through the scope?

I will appreciate any and all advice you can offer. Many Thanks.

 

[Quentin]

1. Yes, PSA is excellent for the money
2. No
3. Depends on the rail (and if you want LW, buy a pencil barrel)
4. Probably but I haven't tried that BUIS
5. No, if over 3x

 

[TimboKhan]

It depends on the rail, but the MOE guards are far more comfortable than any quad rail.

Thinking about it, I would like to look at a rail lighter than the MOE that doesn't cost a fortune.

 

[Quentin]

Actually very few metal rails themselves are lighter than the MOE handguard.

But when you factor in a FF tube with add-on rail sections only where you need them AND a low profile gas block, well that could be lighter than a MOE plus a standard A2 FSB.

I agree that the MOE is comfortable and I chose to go with them and the standard FSB on two lightweight carbines that come in around 6.5 lbs.

 

[Warp]

The jury is still out on PSA IMO. They are relatively new and not that far removed from well known mistakes that should not have happened. Most indications are positive. But then they worry me sometimes. Elsewhere somebody got one that didn't have the bolt marked MPI/HPT. PSA themselves responded in the thread but danced around the bush and never actually stated that all of their bolts were...but they made it sound that way. To me it stunk to high heaven of intentionally misleading people and PSA never would answer the question straight up. Left a pretty bad taste in my mouth.