Great post TR. Your choices are all well thought out and defensible regardless of what another might prefer. Druthers doesn’t necessarily mean better.

Love the classic “restricted” LMT lower. I have one on my first “build.” Quotes because I bought a complete LMT upper from Grant of G&R Tactical for it when I was just still mostly ignorant and had few tools. Totally agree on the 12.5” the perfect if-only-one length bug-out carbine.