I purchased my first AR, a Bushy HBAR with an A1 upper, in 1991. It served me well, until I began three gun with it in 1996 or so. It's the early Bushmaster when you could order a non chromed bore, and the gun was a 1 moa with good ball ammo from the bench.
About 1996 or so, I acquired a DPMS lower/Frankengun 16" upper carbine. I wanted the collapsible stock, so the HBAR lower got used with the 16" upper, and the HBAR top end went into the safe. Eventually I traded for a post ban upper for the DPMS, and bought a new Bushy SL A2 top end for my preban lower. This worked for a while, until Lil Ops could handle an AR byhimself. I added a pinned collapsible stock to the DPMS so it was short enough pull for him.
I bought a CMC Century lower from another member for a great price, and began to accumulate parts. When the ban went by bye, I rebuilt the CAR for Lil Ops into the old XM177E2 config, complete with A1 upper with windage knob, and extended FS. He lobes it, he is now Joe Commando.
I assembled my first lower and put the old HBAR top end on it, now with an A2 upper, hopefully for Lil Ops for DCM matches. I took it for a test drive last week, and with ball ammo - under 2 MOA even with my mow old eyes. I am right back where I began, with an HBAR, plinking frm the bench. Even after a good 5k rounds, the old HB still runs like it always did.
HBAR to HBAR in 15 years. Just some light night thoughts with the insomnia.. Ops