Since you seem to like KAC, why not an SR-15, MOD 2, LPR?
It has a somewhat lighter contour Kreiger barrel than the MOD 1, but I've never seen a full evaluation of the MOD 2.
I have a MOD 1 with the slighter heavier Kreiger barrel & the UXR 3.1 handguard; the MOD 2 also has an M-LOK handguard...