Complete "Newb" but looking to build my first AR15 rifle.

I recently put an order for an Anderson stripped lower at a local FFL and joined to do some research.  Having all these build threads is awesome but the search function leaves much to desire.  I have a few questions.

Lefty uppers
Will always be premium prices?
Limited manufacturers? RRA and Stag are what I've found but RRAs website states only to use their uppers with their lowers
Do I just say eff it and build a righty? I'm left eye dominant and right handed so I'd just eat brass or find an upper that has a deflector?

Rails/grips/stock
This is all preference correct?

Barrel
I still have to read up on the twist rates and length so any advice for a gun that's mainly going to be used 25-200 yd max

I'm set on this being a "zombie" gun, one that sits and is used for plinking with no real action other than that.

Any additional advice is welcomed and I'll continue combing the site trying to see what else I can pick up.

Welcome to the boards.

Ok on the lefty deal. All uppers have a deflector in my experience. I have built 2 rifles for my buddies that are both leftys. They Never eat brass as you put it. I use stripped uppers from PSA that are so called blemished uppers for $39 bucks. I have yet to find a so called blemish on them. They may be missing the PSA Logo and the Tmarks on top may not be painted in. So what if its a plinking Zombie Gun.

I use lower built kits from PSA as well. You get a kit with black Magpul furniture for like $129 on sale. You CAN NOT piece that kit together for less! They have tons of different build kits too.(cheaper/more expensive) You will get ALL the parts you need to complete your lower.

For plinking a 1 in 9 twist 16" barrel is about perfect. I can shoot 55 grain and 62 grain Military ammo very accurately at 100 yards all day. I use Del-Ton Barrel kits. The kits come with everything you need from the upper threads forward. You can get the 16" M4 profile barrel for $198 bucks. Then you can add the Magpul hand guard for like $28 so your hand guard matches your buttstock and pistol grip.

Let me know if you need specific info.

Also you are gonna need tools to assemble your rifle, sights or optics, etc.

There are a lot more things you need to understand and be prepared for. Its not as easy as just ordering parts. You have to understand how the rifle works and how to put it together.

Welcome again,

Let us know if we can help more. I can post pics and give you part by part info if you need it.

Thanks for the info!
Links would be awesome, I do understand there's going to be a bit of a learning curve putting the rifle together, I feel iron sights would be sufficient initially and I have a cheapo red dot sight from an older rifle I could toss on it.

Any suggestions on tools to pick up would be welcome too!

Make sure you have the right tools for the job.  Get an armorer's wrench, roll pin punches, vice and vice blocks, etc.

I have a lefty Stag upper and it is fantastic, i opted for the full auto BCG and Hp/MP bolt.  Realistically after having it for quite sometime now and nearing the 1500 round point, i wish i just built a righty setup.  My 6.8 Rifle  is righty and i have never gotten hit by a shell...long story short, the lefty rifle from stag is a very good product, but i would just got with a right handed setup as there is a much wider market for it.

This http://www.ar15.com/content/guides/assembly/lower/ is good.
Definitely do this http://www.ar15.com/content/guides/functionCheck/ afterward..... the "Safe" and "Semi" parts.
This http://www.ar15.com/content/guides/parts/ and all the sub-links are better than 1000 words.
This http://www.ar15.com/content/webPDF/TM9-1005-319-23.pdf is a terribly govt-inspired slog to navigate, but awesome for "dumb" questions like "how many Ft.Lbs to torque my A2 birdcage" - Hint: N/A

You can be left eye dominant a still shoot right handed. Question is do you shoot right-handed or left-handed? Are you planning on magnified optics or just a RDS?

Concur, as far as my experience goes. Recently got my 16" carbine running. The brass bounced off the deflector and landed 30 feet in the 2 o'clock direction. After down-gassing it a bit with an AGB, it lobs 'em 3 o'clock-wise, but never where my face would be were I to shoot it lefty. ...just got the urge and went and mounted my stick in a left handed manner: With my left eye sights-on-target, bolt back, door open, I can in fact see right into the chamber throat with my right eye. It DOES look scary, but again, the brass deflector does its' job. YMMV on the particular upper you choose, but I don't believe mine is just a lucky good one. Based on the obvious impact points on the brass deflector, if it weren't there, I'd get an eyeful.

Bottom line (finally): AFAIK the Army only issues right-handed M4's, so if you get a proper "mil-spec" upper, it was designed and thoroughly tested with "your kind" taken into consideration. With a BAD Lever or some such, and an ambi safety, you should be able to do all the strong-hand / weak-hand operations the "correct" way. Light-speed tap/rack/bang will be a no-go, but if you ever want that, they have ambi charging handles too.

DANG!! ...gotta try shooting my rifle left handed now. Why the EFF aren't there 24 hour rifle ranges in the People's Republic of California!?!?!? Dang it. DANG this unholy place!

Although  i would't trade my lefty rifle for anything...its my baby lol :).  

I would also check Stag out for a righty rifle or a complete upper, the plus package is great, 4150 1/7 E.R. Shaw barrells, HP/MP auto Bcg's and an awesome warantee.  I can't say enough good things about stag arms.

Thanks for the input guys, I found a local guy with a complete stag upper for sale with some minor blemishes. But now I have to decide if I want to pay his price for the stag lefty upper or go with something a bit cheaper since this is my first build, but I think the best idea for me would be a complete upper and then the next go round I should assemble the upper myself.

I need some advice because I can't stop thinking about it.

1. Buy a used stag with blemishes for just under 500
http://www.stagarms.com/model-2hl/

or
2. Buy a different budget righty upper new for between 350-425 and spend the extra money elsewhere?

I just skimmed the thread but I saw the mention of cross eye dominance
If you're truly a lefty, I'd invest in a stag lefty.
Primary arms micro dots are an awesome value FWIW

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I'm a righty but shooting with my right hand feels awkward, lefty feels so natural and with my left eye being dominant it makes everything easier