I too did months of research and ended up doing a kit gun. I got a del ton mid length A3 flat top rifle with the non chromed heavy barrel. I put it on a DPMS lower and now I have an AR-15 that cost me less that 600 bucks that digests everything ive put in it including wolf and maintains 1 MOA with optics out to 200 yards. with irons im doing 1.5 to 2 inches at a 100 yards which has been decent enough to hold a good standing in the local NRA hi power matches.