Composite handguard for a firearm and mounting/attachment apparatus therefor

1. An apparatus to couple a handguard to a firearm having a receiver and a barrel nut rotatably couplable to the receiver, wherein the barrel nut includes a cylindrical portion and an outwardly protruding flange with a plurality of scalloped regions, the apparatus comprising:

at least one handguard mounting member, wherein the at least one handguard mounting member comprises a first handguard mounting member couplable to the barrel nut and a second handguard mounting member couplable to the barrel nut, the first and the second handguard mounting members providing a collar configured to at least partially circumscribe the cylindrical portion of the barrel nut, wherein the first and the second handguard mounting members are separate components from each other and from the handguard whereby the handguard is installable by movement of the handguard relative to the first and the second handguard mounting members;

wherein the at least one handguard mounting member comprises at least one tab configured to fit in at least one scalloped region of the plurality of scalloped regions of the protruding flange of the barrel nut to inhibit rotation of at least one of the handguard mounting members relative to the barrel nut;

wherein the at least one tab configured to fit in at least one scalloped region of the plurality of scalloped regions further comprises at least two tabs, each tab configured to fit in a respective one of the plurality of scalloped regions;

wherein a first tab of the at least two tabs is provided by the first handguard mounting member, wherein the first tab is a cantilevered first tab;

wherein a second tab of the at least two tabs is provided by the second handguard mounting member, wherein the second tab is a cantilevered second tab; and

wherein, when the first handguard mounting member and the second handguard mounting member are coupled to the barrel nut and the barrel nut is rotatably coupled to the receiver, the first handguard mounting member and the second handguard mounting member are rotatable with the barrel nut relative to the receiver.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the at least two tabs configured to fit in a respective one of the plurality of scalloped regions further comprises at least four tabs, each tab configured to fit within a respective one of the plurality of scalloped regions;

a first two tabs of the at least four tabs provided by the first handguard mounting member; and

a second two tabs of the at least four tabs provided by the second handguard mounting member.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the cylindrical portion of the barrel nut has an outer surface with a surface area; and

the collar is configured to overlie at least 50% of the surface area of the outer surface of the cylindrical portion of the barrel nut.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the cylindrical portion of the barrel nut has an overall longitudinal length; and

the collar is configured to overlie at least 50% of the overall longitudinal length of the cylindrical portion of the barrel nut.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the cylindrical portion of the barrel nut has an overall circumferential length; and

the collar is configured to overlie at least 50% of the overall circumferential length of the cylindrical portion of the barrel nut.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the collar of the handguard mounting members has an inner side; and

the inner side includes an arcuate surface configured to mate with the cylindrical portion of the barrel nut.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the collar of the handguard mounting members has an outer side; and

the outer side includes at least one planar surface configured to mate with a planar surface of the handguard.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the collar of the handguard mounting members has an outer side; and

the outer side includes a plurality of planar surfaces configured to respectively mate with a plurality of planar surfaces of the handguard.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the collar of the handguard mounting members has an outer side; and

the outer side includes at least one arcuate surface configured to mate with an arcuate surface of the handguard.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

each of the first and the second handguard mounting members is configured to receive a first and a second mechanical fastener, respectively, to mechanically couple to the handguard.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein:

each of the first and the second handguard mounting members includes at least one mounting aperture configured to receive the first and the second mechanical fastener, respectively.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein:

the at least one mounting aperture of each of the first and the second handguard mounting members is a threaded aperture.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the collar provides a gap between the first and the second handguard mounting members, the gap providing a gas return tube passageway which extends longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the collar.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein:

the collar is coupleable to the barrel nut such that the gas return tube passageway aligns longitudinally with at least one scalloped region of the plurality of scalloped regions of the barrel nut.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the at least one handguard mounting member only occupies a portion of the plurality of scalloped regions of the protruding flange of the barrel nut.

16. A firearm comprising:

a receiver;

a handguard;

a barrel nut rotatably couplable to the receiver, wherein the barrel nut includes a cylindrical portion and an outwardly protruding flange with a plurality of scalloped regions;

an apparatus to couple the handguard to the barrel nut, the apparatus including

at least one handguard mounting member, wherein the at least one handguard mounting member comprises a first handguard mounting member couplable to the barrel nut and a second handguard mounting member couplable to the barrel nut, the first and the second handguard mounting members providing a collar configured to at least partially circumscribe the cylindrical portion of the barrel nut, wherein the first and the second handguard mounting members are separate components from each other and from the handguard whereby the handguard is installable by movement of the handguard relative to the first and the second handguard mounting members;

wherein the at least one handguard mounting member comprises at least one tab configured to fit in at least one scalloped region of the plurality of scalloped regions of the protruding flange of the barrel nut to inhibit rotation of at least one of the handguard mounting members relative to the barrel nut;

wherein the at least one tab configured to fit in at least one scalloped region of the plurality of scalloped regions further comprises at least two tabs, each tab configured to fit in a respective one of the plurality of scalloped regions;

wherein a first tab of the at least two tabs is provided by the first handguard mounting member, wherein the first tab is a cantilevered first tab;

wherein a second tab of the at least two tabs is provided by the second handguard mounting member, wherein the second tab is a cantilevered second tab; and

wherein, when the first handguard mounting member and the second handguard mounting member are coupled to the barrel nut and the barrel nut is rotatably coupled to the receiver, the first handguard mounting member and the second handguard mounting member are rotatable with the barrel nut relative to the receiver.

17. The firearm of claim 16 wherein:

the firearm is a rifle.

18. The firearm of claim 16 wherein:

the handguard comprises a tubular body, the tubular body comprising one continuous piece disposed 360 degrees around a longitudinal axis of the firearm; and

the handguard is installable by sliding the handguard along the longitudinal axis over the first and the second handguard mounting members.