Rifle handguard system with integrated barrel nut

Abstract

A handguard system for use on a rifle having a barrel and a receiver, the hand guard system includes a barrel nut having an inner surface with a threaded portion adapted to threadably engage the receiver for securing the barrel to the receiver and an outer surface, and a tubular handguard having an end. The tubular handguard is receivable about the barrel and is received about the barrel nut, engaging the outer surface thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A handguard configured to be aligned with an upper receiver comprising:
 a tubular portion, where the tubular portion has a long axis, where the tubular portion has a plurality of openings along the long axis, where the tubular portion has a non- circular cross-section, and a first inner portion of the tubular portion, where the first inner portion is configured to slide snuggly over a contact portion of an attachment to a barrel, where the first inner portion is configured such that if the tubular portion experiences a flexing force then the tubular portion engages the contact portion to provide a counter force opposing the flexing force, where the contact portion is part of the outer surface of the attachment;   an extension rail attached to the tubular portion; and   an alignment feature, where the alignment feature is configured to contact a portion of an upper receiver and align the tubular portion with the upper receiver.   
     
     
         2 . The handguard according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a channel in the tubular portion, where a portion of a gas push rod operating system fits within the channel.   
     
     
         3 . The handguard according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a third rail, where the third rail is operatively attached to the tubular portion, where the third rail is substantially parallel to the second rail.   
     
     
         4 . The handguard according to  claim 1 , where the alignment feature is at least one of a protrusion, a hole configured to accept an alignment pin, and a threaded hole configured to accept an alignment screw. 
     
     
         5 . The handguard according to  claim 1 , where attachment is a barrel nut. 
     
     
         6 . The handguard according to  claim 5 , where the inner portion is configured to fit snuggly over the barrel nut, where when the tubular portion is stressed the first inner portion contacts the barrel nut. 
     
     
         7 . The handguard according to  claim 6 , where the long axis runs through the interior of the tubular portion, where any cross-section of the tubular portion perpendicular to the long axis is symmetric about an axis perpendicular to the long axis. 
     
     
         8 . The handguard according to  claim 7 , where the plurality of openings are periodic along a direction parallel to the long axis. 
     
     
         9 . The handguard according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a fastener, where the fastener is at least one of a screw, pin, and latch, where the fastener is used to secure the alignment feature to at least one of the top of the receiver, the side of the receiver, and the bottom of the receiver.