Okay, quick backstory to the carbine. last week my friend and I went to the gunshow and he picked up an AR. I wasn't thrilled too much because it's a fixed carry handle which although I love it for shooting irons, that's about it. It also has a 1:9 H-BAR barrel which I also dislike. We got home, shot a few rounds, and later that day he called and brought it by because it was failing to cycle the bolt. I took it apart and apparently it has a bushmaster retrofit kit, and the rollpin has fell out of the front sight post, and the housing clamp screw was backing out of it. I told him I'd drill and tap the front sight post if possible and install a setscrew and use some loctite on the clamp. Right now it's still tore apart on my bench. Well he called and offered to let me have it, in exchange for me neglecting a small debt he owes me plus getting him a few reloading items he wants. It would invest me a total of about $550 into the rifle. Specifics for the rifle are: LRB lower with unknown LPK, Magpul UBR(big plus), unknown A2 upper with the H-BAR 16" with troy hider, standard handguards that come with the piston kit, and Hogue grip. Problem is I don't have any cash so I would have to charge the reloading crap and I really don't want to since I'm broke right now anyways after Christmas. But for my investment it is strongly tempting. Options I am contemplating are as follows:

Sell upper altogether and purchase .458 SOCOM upper

Sell H-BAR barrel and retrofit kit and purchase CMMG .22 barrel/BCG and have a neat plinker while robbing it of the UBR

Sell H-BAR barrel and replace with a 1:7 twist 14.5" M4 profile barrel and perm. attach a hider. if I do this either ditch the gas piston kit and make it back DI or keep the retrofit provided I can get a new forearm I like and that the H-BAR retrofit kit will work on a standard M4 profile barrel(anyone know?) The lack of flattop sucks but could be a handy truck rifle

Sell complete upper and just build some random 5.56 upper that I like.

I should also add, that I don't give a crap about the gas piston kit. It might be neat to play with but DI has worked for how long?

If it were me I would not take the rifle. It sounds like a hodge podge of parts not assembled correctly. The only thing that sounds good is the UBR. If you do take it you will have to sell the upper or part it out really cheap since you do not know the specs on the barrel. I just paid $189 for a Spikes barrel so personally I would not buy an unknown barrel at all and if I did I probably would not pay more than $50. Right now is not the best time to sell things because you can find quality items for a decent price.

this.  

you will lose money and time in parting it out and selling it for a loss.  especially with your money situation right now you should put on the brakes and plan your next rifle with care.

Reality check:  You can buy a brand-new S&W M&P-15 Sport or a brand-new PSA Carbine for not much more than $550.  Definitely pass.

What to do is buy a carbine kit for $519 from palmetto state..its a chromelined CHF barrel 1/7 and MP/HP tested parts..then buy and $80 to $100 lower and for $50 more you have a superior built rifle and it has the M4 profile.

I'd pass on it...sounds like a money loser for you in the long run.

One thing I learned too is gun shows suck for buying Ar15's and parts. There are so many vendors with rifles and parts that they claim are from reputable companies but they are full of shit. One vendor around here claims to use FN barrels, but the barrels are 1x9. There some vendors that do sell good stuff but most of them sell shit and like the rifle that your friend bought they can't even tell you the manufacturer of some of the main components. Out of curiosity how much did your friend pay for the rifle? I hope he uses it as a learning experience. Again I would definitely run from that deal and take the money your buddy owes you.