Firearm handguard attachment and alignment system

A system for a firearm comprising an upper receiver, a barrel, and a handguard, the system comprising:

• a first wedge part that carries a first alignment finger, the first wedge part having an elongated opening;
• a second wedge part that carries a second alignment finger, the second wedge part having a threaded opening, wherein the first and second wedge parts are arranged in a cavity at a proximal end of the handguard, and the handguard includes a hole that extends into the cavity;
• wherein the first and second alignment fingers project rearwardly toward and along opposite sides of the upper receiver and, when the handguard is assembled on the upper receiver and the barrel, the alignment fingers are adjustable to clamp onto the opposite sides of the upper receiver to prevent relative rotation between the handguard and the upper receiver;
• an adjustment screw that extends through the hole in the handguard and the elongated opening in the first wedge part and threads into the threaded opening of the second wedge part;
• and
• wherein interfacing surfaces of the first and second wedge parts are correspondingly angled so that the first and second wedge parts move laterally, thereby clamping the first and second alignment fingers onto the upper receiver, as the adjustment screw is tightened.

A system for securing and aligning a handguard relative to a firearm comprising an upper receiver and a barrel, the system comprising:

• an attachment mechanism configured to attach the handguard to the firearm, the attachment mechanism comprising:
• a barrel nut having driven splines on an exterior surface thereof, wherein the barrel nut is arranged on the barrel and the upper receiver;
• and
• a gear having drive splines on an exterior surface thereof, wherein the gear is arranged on the handguard and the drive splines of the gear engage the driven splines of the barrel nut, and wherein rotation of the gear in one direction moves the handguard toward the upper receiver;
• and
• an alignment mechanism configured to maintain the handguard in a desired rotational position relative to the upper receiver, the alignment mechanism comprising:
• a first wedge part that carries a first alignment finger, the first wedge part having an elongated opening;
• a second wedge part that carries a second alignment finger, the second wedge part having a threaded opening, wherein the first and second wedge parts are arranged in a cavity at a proximal end of the handguard;
• wherein the first and second alignment fingers project rearwardly toward and along opposite sides of the upper receiver and, when the handguard is assembled on the firearm, the alignment fingers are adjustable to clamp onto the opposite sides of the upper receiver to prevent relative rotation between the handguard and the upper receiver;
• an adjustment screw that extends through an opening in the handguard and the elongated opening in the first wedge part and threads into the threaded opening of the second wedge part, wherein the opening in the handguard extends into the cavity of the handguard;
• and
• wherein interfacing surfaces of the first and second wedge parts are correspondingly angled so that the first and second wedge parts move laterally, thereby clamping the first and second alignment fingers onto the upper receiver, as the adjustment screw is tightened.

A handguard system for a firearm comprising an upper receiver and a barrel, the system comprising:

• an elongated tubular handguard having a proximal end at which the handguard is attachable to the firearm;
• a barrel nut arranged on the barrel and the upper receiver, wherein driven splines are arranged on an exterior surface of the barrel nut;
• and
• a gear having drive splines on an exterior surface thereof, wherein the gear is arranged on the handguard and the drive splines of the gear engage the driven splines of the barrel nut, and wherein rotation of the gear moves the handguard toward the upper receiver.

A handguard system for a firearm comprising an upper receiver and a barrel, the system comprising:

• an elongated tubular handguard having a proximal end at which the handguard is attachable to the firearm, wherein the proximal end of the handguard includes a cavity and the handguard further includes a hole that extends into the cavity;
• a first wedge part that carries a first alignment finger, the first wedge part having an elongated opening;
• a second wedge part that carries a second alignment finger, the second wedge part having a threaded opening, wherein the first and second wedge parts are arranged in the cavity of the handguard;
• wherein the first and second alignment fingers project rearwardly toward and along opposite sides of the upper receiver and, when the handguard is assembled on the upper receiver and the barrel, the alignment fingers are adjustable to clamp onto the opposite sides of the upper receiver to prevent relative rotation between the handguard and the upper receiver;
• an adjustment screw that extends through the hole in the handguard and the elongated opening in the first wedge part and threads into the threaded opening of the second wedge part;
• and
• wherein interfacing surfaces of the first and second wedge parts are correspondingly angled so that the first and second wedge parts move laterally, thereby clamping the first and second alignment fingers onto the upper receiver, as the adjustment screw is tightened.

A handguard system for a firearm comprising an upper receiver and a barrel, the system comprising:

• an elongated tubular handguard having a proximal end at which the handguard is attachable to the firearm, wherein the proximal end of the handguard includes a cavity and the handguard further includes a hole that extends into the cavity;
• a barrel nut arranged on the barrel and the upper receiver, wherein driven splines are arranged on an exterior surface of the barrel nut;
• a gear having drive splines on an exterior surface thereof, wherein the gear is arranged on the handguard and the drive splines of the gear engage the driven splines of the barrel nut, and wherein rotation of the gear moves the handguard toward the upper receiver;
• a first wedge part that carries a first alignment finger, the first wedge part having an elongated opening;
• a second wedge part that carries a second alignment finger, the second wedge part having a threaded opening, wherein the first and second wedge parts are arranged in the cavity of the handguard;
• wherein the first and second alignment fingers project rearwardly toward and along opposite sides of the upper receiver and, when the handguard is assembled on the upper receiver and the barrel, the alignment fingers are adjustable to clamp onto the opposite sides of the upper receiver to prevent relative rotation between the handguard and the upper receiver;
• an adjustment screw that extends through the hole in the handguard and the elongated opening in the first wedge part and threads into the threaded opening of the second wedge part;
• and
• wherein interfacing surfaces of the first and second wedge parts are correspondingly angled so that the first and second wedge parts move laterally, thereby clamping the first and second alignment fingers onto the upper receiver, as the adjustment screw is tightened.