Firearm having a removable hand guard

A semi-automatic or automatic rifle having a black rifle configuration comprising:

• a receiver having a receiver frame;
• a barrel removably connected to the receiver frame;
• the receiver extending over and generally surrounding the barrel,
• the receiver having a removable hand guard section removably connected to the receiver;
• and
• the removable hand guard section having a molded composite structure having a mounting rail portion and a non-metallic body portion,
• the mounting rail portion molded into the body portion;
• wherein, the removable hand guard section is modular and interchangeable with other different hand guards or rails.

A rifle hand guard kit for a rifle having a black rifle configuration, the kit comprising:

• a removable hand guard section adapted to extend over and generally surround a barrel of the rifle, the removable hand guard section removably connectable to a receiver of the rifle;
• the removable hand guard section having a locating feature adapted to engage a hand guard capture of the rifle and locate the hand guard relative to the capture;
• and
• the removable hand guard section having a molded composite structure having an integral mounting rail portion and a non-metallic body portion, the mounting rail portion molded into the body portion;
• wherein, the removable hand guard section is modular and arranged so that the hand guard section is freely interchangeable, at least in part, with other rifle hand guards that are different from the removable hand guard section and have different predetermined characteristics.