This my first AR (former Californian, current Texan) and I have to say I’m pleased with it; a S&W Sport 2 (fwd assist and dust cover, $668 out the door)...hated the grip but a Magpul upgrade made all the difference. Trying to keep it simple otherwise...for now anyway lol
One of the single best improvements you can do yourself is to get a decent trigger for it. The factory triggers are goshawful. I had a Rock River 2 stage in a light varminter set up and it was a big help for ~$100. It ain't a Geissele, but it was still a great improvement over the factory and assisted in the demise of many varmints. d:^)