That's good enough for me -- thanks to both of you. Unreliable is always a deal breaker for me.
But $2700 is not a deal breaker -- I was just tryin' to get more mileage out of one of my extra AR lowers ... the last thing I need right now is another AR rifle .... but I really do want one of the GP models, so I guess I'll just have to shut up and pony up. 
Piston uppers make ARs almost as rugged as AKs in my view. Do I NEED an AR that tough? No, my gas guns are plenty reliable enough for me. That said if I was going to the sandbox and could choose between gas and piston, I would choose piston.
I haven't been in the market for several months so I'm not sure what lead times are like at any price for either Barrett or LWRC. I suspect a piston upper from LWRC may be a little easer to find but don't know for sure. I got lucky and happened to see a new one come up for sale on the forum a few min after it was posted and scarfed it up most scosh.
My guess is that if you want a Barrett or LWRC you will have to place an order and wait your turn. They are both turning out weapons as fast as they can, plus LWRC relocated not to long ago so lead times may be several weeks at best.
Either would be worth several months wait if that's what it took.
