Handguard system for firearms

A handguard for use on a firearm having a receiver, a barrel and a barrel nut affixing the barrel to the receiver, the barrel nut having radially outwardly directed tines spaced about the outer periphery, the handguard comprising:

• an elongated tubular, cylindrical body with an inner surface and an outer surface, the body having a distal end and a proximal end, the inner surface of the body adjacent the proximal end having a diameter larger than an outer diameter of the barrel nut and smaller than a diameter defined by the outer tips of the tines;
• a plurality of longitudinally extending mounting rails distributed around the outer periphery of the body, the rails being formed to mount auxiliary equipment on the firearm;
• the body having a plurality of radially outwardly directed grooves defined in the inner surface and extending longitudinally from the proximal end toward the distal end, the grooves being spaced apart around the periphery of the inner surface so as to correspond with the tines on the barrel nut and allow passage of the tines on the barrel nut therethrough, the grooves defining a longitudinally extending land between each adjacent pair of grooves;
• the body further having a circumferentially extending channel defined in the inner surface, spaced from the proximal end so as to receive the tines therein with the barrel nut in the tightened position to allow limited rotation of the body around the barrel relative to the barrel nut;
• and
• a pair of opposed generally arcuate fingers associated with the body adjacent the proximate end and pressure apparatus positioned to clamp the opposed arcuate fingers together to fixedly engage the handguard with the barrel nut.

A handguard positioned on a firearm, the firearm having a receiver, a barrel and a barrel nut affixing the barrel to the front end of the receiver, the barrel nut having radially outwardly directed tines spaced about the outer periphery, the handguard comprising:

• an elongated tubular, cylindrical body with an inner surface and an outer surface, the body having a distal end and a proximal end, the inner surface of the body adjacent the proximal end having a diameter larger than an outer diameter of the barrel nut and smaller than a diameter defined by the outer tips of the tines;
• a plurality of longitudinally extending mounting rails distributed around the outer periphery of the body, the rails being formed to mount auxiliary equipment on the firearm;
• the body having a plurality of radially outwardly directed grooves defined in the inner surface and extending longitudinally from the proximal end toward the distal end, the grooves being spaced apart around the periphery of the inner surface so as to correspond with the tines on the barrel nut and allow passage of the tines on the barrel nut therethrough, the grooves defining a longitudinally extending land between each adjacent pair of grooves;
• the body further having a circumferentially extending channel defined in the inner surface, spaced from the proximal end so as to receive the tines therein with the barrel nut in the tightened position to allow limited rotation of the body around the barrel relative to the barrel nut;
• the body substantially coaxially positioned around the barrel with the proximal end adjacent the front end of the firearm receiver and the tines of the barrel nut positioned in the channel and aligned, one each, with the lands between each adjacent pair of grooves and a mounting rail on an upper surface of the body axially aligned with a mounting rail on the upper surface of the firearm receiver;
• and
• a pair of opposed generally arcuate fingers associated with the body adjacent the proximate end and pressure apparatus clamping the opposed arcuate fingers together against the barrel nut to fixedly engage the handguard with the barrel nut.

A method of affixing a handguard to a firearm having a receiver, a barrel and a barrel nut affixing the barrel to the receiver, the barrel nut having radially outwardly directed tines spaced about the outer periphery, the firearm further having a mounting rail extending axially along the upper surface of the receiver, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a handguard having an elongated tubular, cylindrical body with an inner surface and an outer surface, the body having a distal end and a proximal end, the body having a mounting rail extending longitudinally along the upper surface, the inner surface of the body adjacent the proximal end having a diameter larger than an outer diameter of the barrel nut and smaller than a diameter defined by the outer tips of the tines, the body having a plurality of radially outwardly directed grooves defined in the inner surface and extending longitudinally from the proximal end toward the distal end, the grooves being spaced apart around the periphery of the inner surface so as to correspond with the tines on the barrel nut and allow passage of the tines on the barrel nut therethrough, the grooves defining a longitudinally extending land between each adjacent pair of grooves, and the body further having a circumferentially extending channel defined in the inner surface, spaced from the proximal end so as to receive the tines therein with the barrel nut in the tightened position to allow limited rotation of the body around the barrel relative to the barrel nut;
• engaging the body of the handguard substantially coaxially over the barrel of the firearm with the proximal end adjacent the front surface of the firearm receiver;
• positioning the body of the handguard with the plurality of radially outwardly directed grooves aligned with the tines of the barrel nut and rotationally offset at least one tine so the mounting rail on the upper surface of the body is misaligned at least one tine from the mounting rail on the upper surface of the firearm receiver;
• moving the body of the handguard longitudinally to receive the tines of the barrel nut in the grooves far enough to be rotationally aligned with the circumferentially extending channel;
• and
• rotating the body of the handguard until the mounting rail on the upper surface of the body is aligned with the mounting rail on the upper surface of the firearm receiver and the tines on the barrel nut are aligned with the lands between each adjacent pair of grooves.