I am building a new rifle and am looking at two options, buying a lower parts kit for all the small pins/Springs, or buying individually. I have the following parts selected and am not sure if a lower parts kit or buying separate would be a better financial option.

Trigger (SSA) (comes with trigger pins)
Buffer
Action spring
Safety (BAD-ASS) (also comes with a safety plunger IIRC and maybe the spring too)
Bolt catch/release (Phase 5)
Grip
Stock

What say you?

If individual parts, what is a good source?

Am I really going to notice a difference going with a cheaper LPK with the parts from it that I would use vs going with say a Daniel Defense LPK?

Usually waiting for a good deal at PSA website for a set of parts. Never hurts to have few extra laying around.

There are a few places that have individual LPKs minus the FCG and grip like Brownells, AIM (Anderson), but I'd recommend getting one of the Critical Capabilities kits from AIM for $40 and just sell the trigger later.

This... Last 2 rifles assembled have used these LPKs. Just swapped triggers out. all the "grittyness" of the bolt catches normally smoothes out with repetition

Bento-What part of Pa?

Have you used the Critical Capabilities LPK I've been wondering about the trigger in this kit for my cheap builds?

Gouldsboro area.

The trigger is awful.  I mean the worst "milspec" trigger I've ever encountered.

I'm going to try polishing the machine marks off but don't expect anything much out of it.  The rest of the kit has been just fine for the handful I've purchased.

A few months ago, I ordered a bunch of lower parts from PSA. I bought enough to build three ARs if I wanted. It is always to have a good parts supply on hand, especially if you plan on buying the trigger groups and pistol grips that you want. I do not even buy LPKs anymore.

I wouldn't cheap out on a lpk

My last 5 or so builds I have been using the CCMG Gunbuilders kit($35.00).


It allows me to customize the rest of the build such as the trigger and grip.

That's exactly what I did, I chose all my small parts, and just ordered a JP LPK minus the trigger. It's like $35 at Rainier Arms.

Avoid buying them from a separate source - if you get down to having each shipped individually the costs rise significantly. $5-8 each for 15, 20, 30 parts? Not.

Get the trigger kit of your choice, that is money well spent, and get spring roll pins, not split. Other than that if it's GI it's good enough. They were designed for a 20 year/50,000 round service life and most of the aftermarket "upgrades" are based on making money for the vendor. What little incremental improvement they might have won't cover up marksmanship or tactical skills.

I bought a older name brand kit and it was actually pretty bad for a trigger pull, then recently got an Anderson with stainless hammer and trigger - which has been good. Very little slack, no grit, short reset. Came with spring roll pins and brass detents, so far it's been all good. Some parts that are milspec are made because it's the cheapest way to meet spec and still make money, you can do better for less with others.

Red Barn Armory has a "build it yourself" LPK. I haven't tried this route yet (only used the CMMG kit mentioned earlier). I don't know if it would save you any money but it might be an option to consider.

RBA BIY LPK

This is exactly what I do.  

The only issue I have run into is that this kit obviously does not come with a trigger guard roll pin because it does not come with a trigger guard.  I ordered an Aero trigger guard and Aero does not supply a roll pin but I know Magpul supplies one with their aluminum trigger guard.  

Go with a kit.  You'll have spare parts (always handy), and the price of the kit will be lower than you can usually manage to get the individual parts.  Add in the convenience of not having to do the "leg work" of selecting just the parts you need, and kits are almost always the best buy.

Choose a kit from a recognized and respected brand, such as CMMG, DPMS, Rock River, etc., and/or from a respected vendor.  I got a LPK from Palmetto once that was missing one little part.  They made it good pretty fast, but I had a spare on hand so I wasn't even slowed down too much.  And keep in mind that everybody has an "oops" now and then, especially when putting together a kit of those pesky springs and pins, so it's not the end of the world if something isn't right in a LPK.  Just know what you're looking at, and make sure you actually have the parts before you start trying to build a lower.

Absolutely

Spikes tactical kits are nice, you can get them with triggers or without, they have spiral roll pins also