Free floating handguard anchoring system
Handguard anchoring systems suitable for attaching a handguard to a firearm are disclosed, including systems having a fastener that extends into a barrel nut and compresses at least a portion of the handguard between the fastener and the barrel nut. Many embodiments include openings in the handguard and/or a plate that are oversized for the fastener such that the handguard may be rotated relative to the barrel nut when a portion of the fastener is positioned within the opening.
1 . An assembly comprising:
a firearm having a barrel and a barrel nut;
a handguard having a sidewall with an exterior surface and an interior surface defining an internal cavity in which at least a portion of the barrel nut is received, the sidewall defining a first side opening with a closed perimeter that extends along a length of the barrel nut received in the handguard; and
a first member that is non-circular and is positioned over the first side opening;
a first fastener and a second fastener each extending through the first member and into the internal cavity and threadingly engaging another portion of the assembly positioned between the barrel and the handguard;
wherein the first fastener extends through the first side opening, and tightening of the first and second fasteners forces the first member towards the sidewall and forces the sidewall towards the barrel nut to secure the handguard to the firearm, and
wherein at least a portion of the first member is disposed outside of the handguard.
2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first member has a first portion positioned outward of the exterior surface of the sidewall and a second portion received within the first side opening.
3 . The assembly of claim 2 , wherein an outer periphery of the first portion is chamfered.
4 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first member defines countersunk or counterbored openings for the first and second fasteners, and heads of the first and second fasteners do not protrude beyond an outwardly facing surface of the first member when the assembly is secured to the firearm.
5 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the non-circular first member has a shape selected from rectangular, oval, or obround.
6 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first side opening is non-circular.
7 . The assembly of claim 2 , wherein a width of the second portion of the first member is at least 10% smaller than a corresponding width of the first side opening, and a length of the second portion of the first member is at least 10% smaller than a corresponding length of the first side opening.
8 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein a width of a portion of each of the first and second fasteners received within respective openings in the first member is at least 10% smaller than a corresponding width of the openings so as to allow movement of each fastener within the openings as the handguard is adjusted prior to tightening.
9 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second fastener extends through the first side opening.
10 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein said another portion comprises the barrel nut, the barrel nut including a circumference with a plurality of threaded openings positioned therearound and arranged in two or more circumferential rows, and the first and second fasteners respectively engage threaded openings in different rows.
11 . The assembly of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the rows includes 20 or more threaded openings that are evenly spaced around the circumference of the barrel nut.
12 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second fasteners are spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of the barrel nut.
13 . The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of threaded openings are an even number and are evenly spaced such that diametrically opposite openings are paired.
14 . The assembly of claim 10 , wherein axes of the threaded openings extend transverse to a longitudinal axis of the barrel nut.
15 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second side opening defined through the sidewall on a different side of the handguard than the first side opening, a second member positioned over the second side opening, and at least a third fastener extending through the second member and through the second side opening into the internal cavity to threadingly engage the barrel nut to force the sidewall towards the barrel nut.
16 . The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the third fastener is coaxially aligned with the first fastener or the second fastener across the internal cavity.
17 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the barrel nut has a length of at least 1.5 inches.
18 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein neither the first member nor the heads of the first and second fasteners protrude beyond the outer surface of the handguard by more than 2 millimeters when the assembly is secured to the firearm.
19 . The assembly of claim 2 , wherein a ratio of length:width of the second portion of the first member is greater than a ratio of length:width of the first side opening.
20 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the barrel nut includes a tool-engagement feature comprising a groove and a plurality of notches arranged to receive a barrel-nut wrench.