There really aren't many parts manufacturers. and all the manufacturers use the same set of drawings.
Your variations come in what kind of quality control measures the manufacture implements.
There are some parts that are consumable. If you shoot enough, you will break firing pins, you will wear out gas rings, You will break springs, You will have magazine issues. Some of these parts will have infant mortality failures.

With a $2000 budget, figure you spend about 1/2 on the rifle. a couple hundred for the light, $500 or so on the optic. another couple hundred on magazines.
Your accessories depend alot on your use for the rifle.

 

Just for info, according to the American Rifleman magazine for March 2008, Cerberus Capital Management acquired Bushmaster in April 2006 and DPMS in December 2007. They also own Remington Arms Co. as of April 2007.

Cerberus Capital Management is the majority stock holder of the Chrysler group. So buying a Dodge and a Bushmaster or DPMS you are supporting your own.

 

I was just looking at those Noveske's and they are expennnnsive.

Fronty, Lets say, 1000 for a Lower and an Uppper. What would you reccomend? My only requirements are for the upper; a flattop reciever with rails and whatever for the lower, I can customize the trigger and stock later.

What would you reccomend?

 

Cerberus is just a financial backer. Hopefully, they will keep their nose out of the businesses and let the manufacturers worry about their products.

 

Im with Justin, I dont really like the "tacticool" stuff myself either. I have Colts. All the lowers are late circa 1980's models. One has an M4 upper.

Ammo here is about the same as Justin said, 230 bucks a 1000.

And again agreeing with Justin, I love the AK. Nearly all variants of it.

And finally, get your inexpensive ammo and mags now. Things are a changin'