Rails & Handguards
2429 products · page 1 of 81
The handguard (or rail) keeps your hand off a hot barrel and gives you places to mount lights, grips and lasers. Most modern handguards are free-float: they attach only to the barrel nut and never touch the barrel, which helps accuracy. An M-LOK handguard is the common choice today, KeyMod is older, and Picatinny quad rails are heavier but fit everything. Drop-in handguards, like the classic two-piece M4 handguard, keep the standard barrel nut and install without tools.
Choose a length that covers your gas block (roughly 7 inches for carbine gas, 9 for mid-length, 12 for rifle length) and leaves room for your muzzle device. Filter by length and attachment and compare prices below.
Rails & Handguards: common questions
What handguard length should I get?
Long enough to cover the gas block (about 7 inches for carbine gas, 9 for mid-length, 12 for rifle length) and usually an inch or two shorter than the barrel so the muzzle device can still go on.
M-LOK, KeyMod or Picatinny?
M-LOK is the current favorite: light, strong and supported by most accessory makers. KeyMod works but has fallen out of favor, and Picatinny quad rails are heavier but fit everything.
Will my gas block fit under a free-float handguard?
Free-float handguards usually need a low-profile gas block; a standard front sight base won't fit under them. Check the handguard's inside diameter against the gas block.
Do free-float handguards need a special barrel nut?
Yes, most come with their own barrel nut, torqued onto the upper. Drop-in handguards use the standard delta ring instead.
Free-float or drop-in handguard?
A free-float handguard helps accuracy and gives you more rail space, but it replaces the barrel nut. A drop-in handguard, such as a mid-length M4-style handguard, fits between the delta ring and the handguard cap with no tools and keeps the standard barrel nut.