If you shoot one box of ammo a year, most any AR-15 will serve you adequately.
If you see any rifle training courses in your future, you will understand why the people there for the second course (or more) aren't shooting the budget models.
Second, there is a difference between a true target model or a game gun versus a top tier tactical AR-15. If you see DCM type shoots in your future, buy a DCM rifle. If you see "run and gun" games in your future, a more tactical model is where it is at.
I don't care about 1/2 groups out of my AR-15. I do care about reliability and good performance with bad ammo. A Colt 6920 isn't a sexy "brag" rifle, it is a good hard use cost effective rifle. I don't have to worry about barrel steel, buffer tube sizes, etc because it is built right. With good ammo and a good rifleman, it will shoot under 1 MOA all day long.
A premium AR-15 with mid-length gas is nice but, the Colt doesn't give up much there with it's carbine length gas. For myself, I'm looking at the Daniel Defense mid-length upper with a thin 14.5" barrel and a heavier S2W barrel. Both with AR-15 Lite rails. Each upper by itself runs a little over $1100. Why? I have a good lower ready to run and need uppers for high volumes of fire or lighter weight for more carry and less shooting. A registered lower and two push pins lets me change the character of my rifle in seconds.
Would I want to do this with a "franken-gun"? I voted with my walllet and don't regret the choice.
In your case, there are good reasons to spend $1100 on the Colt and add the free float rail later. A lesser rifle with a free float rail from the git go is not a step in the right direction IMHO. I'd rather add a quad rail then replace a subpar barrel.
If you see any rifle training courses in your future, you will understand why the people there for the second course (or more) aren't shooting the budget models.
Second, there is a difference between a true target model or a game gun versus a top tier tactical AR-15. If you see DCM type shoots in your future, buy a DCM rifle. If you see "run and gun" games in your future, a more tactical model is where it is at.
I don't care about 1/2 groups out of my AR-15. I do care about reliability and good performance with bad ammo. A Colt 6920 isn't a sexy "brag" rifle, it is a good hard use cost effective rifle. I don't have to worry about barrel steel, buffer tube sizes, etc because it is built right. With good ammo and a good rifleman, it will shoot under 1 MOA all day long.
A premium AR-15 with mid-length gas is nice but, the Colt doesn't give up much there with it's carbine length gas. For myself, I'm looking at the Daniel Defense mid-length upper with a thin 14.5" barrel and a heavier S2W barrel. Both with AR-15 Lite rails. Each upper by itself runs a little over $1100. Why? I have a good lower ready to run and need uppers for high volumes of fire or lighter weight for more carry and less shooting. A registered lower and two push pins lets me change the character of my rifle in seconds.
Would I want to do this with a "franken-gun"? I voted with my walllet and don't regret the choice.
In your case, there are good reasons to spend $1100 on the Colt and add the free float rail later. A lesser rifle with a free float rail from the git go is not a step in the right direction IMHO. I'd rather add a quad rail then replace a subpar barrel.
