Ideas and opinions needed

[XC700116]

With an AR, Hands down, no question either buy PREMIUM complete rifle (like a JP, Larue, POF, Seekins, etc) which is well above the $2k budget with optic, or build a decent upper with a great barrel and put it on a lower with a good-great trigger.

Option 2 is the one that can keep you under $2k with an optic. I've built pretty much exactly that rifle and it's currently my only 223/556 AR.

Here's the parts list:
Aero Precision reciever set
pieced together LPK
Geissele HSNM trigger
CTR Stock with Larue RISR on it
18" Rainier Ultra Match 223 wylde intermediate gas barrel. - could save a hundred bucks and get the same performance from a WOA barrel of similar config.
15" Troy Alpha rail
SJC Titan Brake
Topped with a 2.5-10X40 Vortex Viper PST in a Burris PEPR

Now you can shave a few bucks here and there by shopping smart, and going with some less expensive options that don't affect accuracy ie cheaper hand guard like the nordic components units or going with a Rock River NM 2 stage trigger over the Geissele, MOE stock vs the CTR, etc. Lots of ways to save some cash on it without giving up any accuracy.

Now with the rifle build listed above, I reliably shoot well past 500 yds with 75gr BTHP hand loads. For instance the last time I really stretched that rig's legs out, I was shooting a 10" square plate at 780 yds in a 25 mph cross wind, and hitting anywhere from 3-4 out of 5 on average, the first hit came on shot number 3, trying to figure the wind, all other misses were 100% either wind changes I didn't catch, or the loose nut behind the trigger. The gun is sub moa all day every day, the shooter on an AR platform, not so much hahahaha.