I’m trying to decide what to do with my post-ban AR: PWA lower with Model 1 Sales 16” carry-top and CAA collapsible stock. PWA lowers are apparently high quality. I’d like something more functional for home defense, general plinking, and a little more tacticool, i.e., a 16” flat-top w/ fixed post, bayonet lug, flash suppressor, flip-up rear site. Eventually I’d add a close-range optic and maybe a tac light and vertical grip. One friend suggested I stick with my PWA lower and add a mid-length upper from Palmetto State Armory (PSA) ($299 with BCG, no rear sight). Others recommend that I either stick with the PWA lower but put a Bravo Co. Recce mid-length upper on it ($603 w/o charging handle, BCG, or rear sight), or that I sell my current rig and buy a S&W M&P15 Sport II ($699.99, w/ rear sight).

So which is better overall: PWA lower w/ PSA upper, PWA lower w/ Bravo upper, or ditching the current rig and getting the S&W? I know nothing about PSA, and I wonder if the Bravo upper might be overkill for a casual shooter like me, but I understand the mid-length uppers have better gas systems than the standard carbine uppers like the S&W. With the S&W I’d also have to replace the barrel guards to add a foregrip and light. Should I rebuild my current gun with a “pre-ban” upper or should I sell the whole thing and just buy a new rig like the S&W?

I think it's time you add another AR to the collection.

If there's nothing wrong with your rig, I wouldn't mess with it. Shop PSA and buy a shooter. PSA is gtg.

PWA lowers are nice lowers, but these days mill-spec lowers are all pretty much the same.  To answer your question, keep the old PWA rifle, buy a complete lower and a complete upper from PSA - you can put together a nice mid-length stainless barreled 1:8 rifle for under $500 (+ S&H and transfer) if you get the pieces on sale.

If funds don't allow to keep and buy. I'd suggest Anderson kit, complete rifle with 80% receiver for $399 shipped at midway I know and sure other places have them too. Depending on where you live you could recoup about a $100 by selling the lower and then buy a $50 stripped at a LGS. Either way that's a full gun for under $400. It's not the best gun but (to me) the quality exceeds the price. Having owned a Ruger AR556, M&P Sport and an Anderson kit gun they are all pretty equal, except the bcg, Ruger has the best of the three.

EDIT: This should allow you to keep what you have, if it's tighter than that.....Johnny Cash it.........one piece at a time.

Many thanks guys. I appreciate the feedback very much. Keeping the old plain-jane PWA/Model 1 rig and adding an Anderson or PSA kit gun to the collection Cash style sounds like a good plan to me. The Bravo Co. upper is really more than I need and would require more immediate budget stretching than I need to do. Thanks for the advice!

Wonder how many under 50 got your reference?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWHniL8MyMM

Ha! Not too many, but I'm well under 50 myself, so I may be the exception.

D.B.