I'd like one of these like Del-Ton and Bushmaster/DPMS offers. Will I have to keep waiting? From what I can tell, sourcing the parts to build it will cost more than buying the complete upper. A2 stripped uppers don't seem easy to find either.

You could always build one yourself. I don't see building one costing more than buying one.

$440 for prebuilt at Del-Ton
$582 from Bushmaster


To build, $535.50 + tools

$162.99 DPMS Upper Receiver Unassembled AR-15 A2 Matte, Product #: 136149, DPMS #: UR-01-A2B

$169.99 DPMS DPMS Barrel AR-15 Pistol 5.56x45mm NATO Heavy Contour 1 in 9" Twist 11.5" Chrome Lined Chrome Moly Matte with Front Sight Tower Pre-Ban, Product #: 683239, DPMS #: BL-50-12B

$27.49 DPMS A2 Front Sight Base Gas Block with Bayonet Lug AR-15, LR-308 .750" Inside Diameter Steel Matte, Product #: 980577, DPMS #: BL-18

~$50-75 misc items? gas tube, delta ring, handguards, birdcage...

~$100 BCG

The majority of the shit you need can be found in EE cheaper too.

IIRC, the Bushy barrels are overly massive under the hand guards if that matters to you.

Much cheaper....

I tend to buy ban era Bushmaster barrels then turn them down to what I need.

Do you mean like this pic below? Is that something desirable in pistol form?