A solid ar handguard - Hogue AR15 Ext. Length FF Forend w/ OverMolded Grip Area/Accessory Attachments

I bought this extended length handguard from Hogue to complement the other Hogue furniture I have on my AR rifle (fixed stock and pistol grip). All 3 components from Hogue (extended handguard, pistol grip, and fixed stock) are all black with Hogue's "overmolded" rubber coating. I'm a big fan of Hogue's overmold texture.

This handguard is solid (maybe heavy) component that comes with many of the extras that an AR owner might buy as well. I don't use most of these extra components, but some of these extra components do come in handy even for a minimalist like me, such as a short Picatinny rail to mount a fixed front sight, and a QD sling socket that I mounted to the bottom of the handguard (no need for a Picatinny rail for the QD sling mount). The handguard is heavy enough as it is, so reducing the number of attachments is always appreciated.

This free float handguard does not mount using a "new" style barrel nut - meaning it has a barrel nut with many holes through which the gas tube passes between the gas block and receiver. This means that the barrel nut needs to be "timed", which can be tedious if the a hole doesn't line up to accommodate the gas tube. This is in contrast to newer handguards, that have barrel nuts that are narrow, and doesn't have any holes in the barrel nut...so need for timing. I like the simplicity of the newer barrel nuts, but this is not a complaint about the older barrel nuts. Just something to beware of when assembling (for people accustomed to newer barrel nuts).

The handguard itself needs to be timed as well. The handguard is essentially 2 pieces, one is threaded into the other. Once the first (shorter) section is installed onto the barrel nut, the second section threads onto the first. If, like me, you want your front sight to be at the 12 o'clock position and your sling at the 6 o'clock position, you will need to time the second (longer) section as it is threaded onto the first (shorter) section. This is achieved via a timing ring, that is tightened to secure the second (longer) section of the handguard when you have it where you want it. I'm not a big fan of timing the second (longer) section, and some folks find this setup overly complicated. But it does work, and works pretty well for me.

One other note about the overmolding is that some people may find that it is too grippy, in that it may cling to clothes or other items. This may be worse in hotter or more humid climates. I never had any issues, though.

Also please note that this particular handguard is 15" long. It works well with my AR type rifle with rifle length gas system and 20" barrel. Make sure you get the best handguard length for the length of your gas system and barrel length.

All in all, I like this handguard a lot because it works for me.