Originally Posted by MacCool

The BCM BCG's are excellent. They're all I use. Daniel Defense is also good.

When it comes time to build your lower, consider checking out G&R Tactical. Grant puts together a really excellent lower parts kit, and you can mix and match. For example, if you'd rather use a MOE grip instead of a standard USGI. I've seen a number of LPKs where one or more items were out of spec. Safety selector tends to be the prime offender. I have gone to using the Battle Arms Development Ambidextrous Safety Selector (B.A.D.A.S.S.) and they are a vast improvement over the standard selector included in a standard LPK. I prefer to use thumb to switch safe->fire and index finger to switch fire->safe, so the ambidextrous feature is useful to me as well.

Spike's -- I don't know. They look good on paper, customer service is reputed to be good...I'd be inclined to say they are probably good to go.

Charging handle -- BCM Gunfighter is the only way to go. Look carefully at the size. My preference is the Mod 3. The Mod 4 sticks out too far for me and wears a hole in my chest rig.