Great handguard, rediculous wrench and gas tube issues. - Hogue AR15 Ext. Length FF Forend w/ OverMolded Grip Area/Accessory Attachments

I have literally lost count of how many builds I've done and have forgotten the specifics of most of them. However, this in one me will remember this build forever. The handguard in itself is truly a great unit and it comes with more accessories than any handguard I've ever installed. The quality of the handguard and the included accessories is truly second to none and everything is crazy strong and the tolerances are so tight that even the Allen wrench to screw fit is absolutely perfect. So in that area I give it a solid 11 out of 10. Now for the stupid stuff. Let us start with the supplied wrench. REALLY!!! What were they thinking "or should I say they weren't thinking"? It is an absolute pain in the back side to get it working and as you use it it stretches and then becomes too loose to do a good job at tightening the barrel nut and locking ring. When I called Hogue and asked them about it they admitted that they use an automotive leather strap wrench to work on theirs and not the one they supply with the handguard. With their sorry excuse for a wrench you have no way of knowing what the torque is on either the barrel nut or the locking ring. Not what I call well thought out. And now for the grand finale. The gas tube does not fit unless you modify it by bending it to allow clearance for the handguard to screw onto the barrel nut. As for making the bends in the gas tube they do supply instructions that are pretty good, but WHY??? They charge plenty for the handguard kit as it is so why not have the added included option to include the pre-bent length of gas tube you need for your build. Oh no, instead you can either send your gas tube to them and for a moderate fee they will make the required adjustments to it for you or for twice what a good gas tube costs they will sell you one that is ready to go. If they can't afford to include a gas tube that in all reality costs them less than $5.00 then add the $5.00 to the cost of the handguard kit. But to charge an extra $25.00 for one that needs to be modified because of their way of engineering the thing, well shame on them. Don't get me wrong, these issue are not the end of the world and obviously most builders can work with them and complete a great build with this kit. But here's my question, WHY SHOULD THESE PROBLEMS BE LEFT TO THE CUSTOMER TO FIX"???.... To me that is an incomplete system that requires work to be done by the customer that should be a ready to go system right out of the package. I've been using Hogue products for a very very long time but this is the first time I've ever used one of these handguards. And there is a good chance it is the last time. Getting that gas tube to properly line up with the gas key is a lot easier said than done and I can guarantee you, you do not want that gas key to come in solid contact with the tube. Because if it does I can assure you it will broaden your vocabulary. In conclusion, great handguard and accessories with some of the best tolerances I've seen in a very long time. But, if you are not an experienced builder with a few extra tools and patience, you will be coloring the air around you. Especially if you didn't get the gas tube in perfect alignment with the gas key. And, I really like knowing what the actual torque is on my barrel nut. Let's face it, the torque specs are there for a very good reason. Hogue needs to make this as easy to install as the competition. Good news travels at a snail’s pace, bad news at the speed of light. Now on to my YouTube review.