Hey,

So I'm building my first AR-15. Mainly decided to build so I can buy parts over time and not hurt the bank too much.

I got an Aero precision X15 stripped lower, and that's all I have purchased at the moment. Here is my current lower parts list that I have selected.

DPMS lower parts kit
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/877204/dpms-lower-receiver-parts-kit-ar-15

BCM Stock Hardware MOUNTING KIT (Mil-Spec)
http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/Stock-Hardware-Mounting-Kit-Mil-Spec-p/stock%20hardware%20kit.htm

Magpul MOE® Carbine Stock – Mil-Spec Model
http://store.magpul.com/product/MAG400/180


I'm open to suggestions for upper parts (I'm not sure if I want to buy a prebuild upper, or get the parts separate.) and for different ideas for what parts I have selected for my lower.

Pre built is easy but if you assembled it your self it's more rewarding and you get the parts you want the first time. You can always match it with an aero upper. And depending on what the purpose of the rifle is the other parts will fall into place. ie: range, hunting, etc.

I do not suggest anything from DPMS unless your on low budget

Bravo Company has some quality parts

I also just finished my first build.......a MK 12 Mod 0 using Colt Upper and Lower receivers.

Compass Lake offer excellent uppers as well as PRI.

look into CMMG for the LPK....its damn good and foolproof during the install

I built an Upper from a completely scratch setup, but because I wanted to pick and choose what I wanted in my gun. Definitely wasn't the most cost effective solution but then again I was just looking to come in under $2k on the rifle complete and I was well under that.

I wanted to build it from scratch so it was something I would appreciate more, definitely isn't too time consuming just depends how much work you want to do. I used a Aero Stripped Upper I found for $66 and built out from there

Just like Stubbs ^^ I knew I wanted $1500 in parts, but did not want to pay a custom AR shop to build it for me, since a lot of 'custom' AR's start at $1500 and go up from here. Take a loot at my build thread and you can see that I have the same lower as you, I chose a lower parts kit from Palmetto State Armory without the fire control group. I did this because I knew I'd either want a Geiselle* trigger or something better than mil-spec. I ended up with Geiselle's sister companies trigger the ALG Combat trigger. This way my "LPK" was around $100 and got a better than stock trigger with a decent lpk. ALG also makes a $45 mil spec trigger that has been polished to save even more coin and be in the $80 range for a lpk with a polished trigger.

Also, check Ebay for parts, I bought %90 of my parts *NEW* from their either at a lower cost or with free shipping, which can add up if your buying 10-20 parts at $5-10 extra for s/h.

I just got a LPK from Palmetto State armory. Pretty standard, but comes with the entire buffer tube/buttstock assembly with magpul furniture. (pistol grip and buttstock) It was on sale for pretty cheap.