If you take your time and do everything correctly, it should be just as reliable as anything else. You don't have to build one at all, you can also find a complete lower that is in stock and purchase that, and then purchase a complete upper you like thats also in stock, if the thought of building one is a bit daunting (I know it can be). The two (upper/lower) slap right together. You would have to do a background check to get a complete lower though. I did that with my first AR, then I started swapping things out (new trigger, things like that). After I did that a bit I built one from the ground up. That might be a good direction for you to go as well. I just like building them and I always recommend that. If you can build one you can build 100 that don't technically exist.
Check places like midway and cheaper than dirt. You'll find pretty much everything you need to start getting a rough idea of what you want. Just keep in mind there are certain things you'd need to pay attention to. If you get a barrel that is shorter than 16" you'll need a lower that is set up with a pistol brace to make it 'legal'.
If you take your time and do everything correctly, it should be just as reliable as anything else. You don't have to build one at all, you can also find a complete lower that is in stock and purchase that, and then purchase a complete upper you like thats also in stock, if the thought of building one is a bit daunting (I know it can be). The two (upper/lower) slap right together. You would have to do a background check to get a complete lower though. I did that with my first AR, then I started swapping things out (new trigger, things like that). After I did that a bit I built one from the ground up. That might be a good direction for you to go as well. I just like building them and I always recommend that. If you can build one you can build 100 that don't technically exist.
Check places like midway and cheaper than dirt. You'll find pretty much everything you need to start getting a rough idea of what you want. Just keep in mind there are certain things you'd need to pay attention to. If you get a barrel that is shorter than 16" you'll need a lower that is set up with a pistol brace to make it 'legal'.