My "best" AR is a S&W - a Gen 1 M&P VTAC. Most of my ARs are "frankengun" that I build for target with non standard calibers - 224V, 6.5 Grendel plus a 6.8 for short range hunting. I have three PSA uppers - two 5.56 and one 300 BO - the PSA uppers work just fine for the hundreds of rounds through them at the square range. The PSA upper'd 300 BO pistol is a product of the long PDW thread. I carried Colt MIL issue for decades (M16A1 through M4) - if I went into harms way a Colt AR would be very nice. However, out of the several million ARs in the wild, how many will see a thousand rounds down the barrel? How many will see a few hundred rounds down the barrel? How many will be used in the heat of some form of battle? If you can afford (and can find) a boutique AR by all means get one. If all you can justifiably afford (or find) by all means get the S&W or even PSA.