Composite Handguard for a Firearm

1 . A handguard for a firearm comprising:

a tubular body configured to overlie a barrel of the firearm in spaced relationship, the tubular body formed of a fiber reinforced plastic composite;

the tubular body including an elongated accessory mounting rail; and

the elongated accessory mounting rail includes an inner elongated rail segment located beneath the fiber reinforced plastic composite which extends longitudinally along a length of the mounting rail; and

the inner elongated rail segment is coupled to the a fiber reinforced plastic composite.

2 . The handguard of claim 1 wherein:

the fiber reinforced plastic composite comprises a fiber reinforcement structure embedded in a matrix composition.

3 . The handguard of claim 2 wherein:

the fiber reinforcement structure comprises at least one tubular reinforcement member.

4 . The handguard of claim 3 wherein:

the at least one tubular reinforcement member is formed to a preformed shape of the tubular body before the tubular reinforcement member is embedded in the matrix composition.

5 . The handguard of claim 3 wherein:

the at least one tubular reinforcement member is provided without a terminating edge or a seam extending along a longitudinal direction of the tubular reinforcement member.

6 . The handguard of claim 3 wherein:

the at least one tubular reinforcement member is a tubular sleeve.

7 . The handguard of claim 6 wherein:

the tubular sleeve comprises at least one of a woven sleeve and a braided sleeve.

8 . The handguard of claim 7 wherein:

the tubular sleeve comprises a tubular braided sleeve with a biaxial braid.

9 . The handguard of claim 8 wherein:

the tubular braided sleeve comprises fiber bundles which are not arranged parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tubular body.

10 . The handguard of claim 3 wherein:

the at least one tubular reinforcement member comprises a plurality of tubular reinforcement members; and

at least a one of the tubular reinforcement members is formed of carbon fiber; and

at least a one of the tubular reinforcement members is formed of glass fiber.

11 . The handguard of claim 2 wherein:

the matrix composition comprises a thermoset polymer.

12 . The handguard of claim 8 wherein:

the thermoset polymer comprises at least one of an epoxy, a polyester, a vinyl ester, a methacrylate and a phenolic.

13 . The handguard of claim 1 wherein:

an upper portion of the elongated accessory mounting rail comprises a plurality of alternating ribs and slots extending transverse to a longitudinal axis if the tubular body.

14 . The handguard of claim 1 wherein:

the rail comprises an upper elongated rail segment coupled with the tubular body; and

the upper elongated rail segment extends longitudinally along a length of the rail.

15 . The handguard of claim 14 wherein:

the upper elongated rail segment is at least one of mechanically coupled and adhesively coupled with the tubular body.

16 . The handguard of claim 14 wherein:

the upper elongated rail segment forms an upper portion of the rail; and

the tubular body forms a lower portion of the rail.

17 . The handguard of claim 1 wherein:

the inner elongated rail segment is at least one of mechanically coupled and adhesively coupled to the a fiber reinforced plastic composite.

18 . The handguard of claim 17 wherein:

the inner elongated rail segment is adhesively coupled with the fiber reinforced plastic composite during forming of the tubular body.

19 . The handguard of claim 18 wherein:

the inner elongated rail segment is adhesively coupled with the fiber reinforced plastic composite by the matrix composition.

20 . The handguard of claim 1 further comprising:

an attachment member to attach the handguard to the firearm; and

the attachment member is coupled with the tubular body.