Patent ID: 8276304

Claim:
A modular fore-end rail assembly for a firearm, said firearm including at least an upper receiver having a forward end and a rearward end, said upper receiver having a barrel receiving receptacle at said forward end thereof, said firearm further including a barrel received in said barrel receiving receptacle and a barrel nut received around an outer surface of said barrel receiving receptacle to retain said barrel within said barrel receiving receptacle, said modular fore-end rail assembly comprising: an upper hand guard having a forward end and a rearward end, a dovetail rail extending longitudinally between the forward end and the rearward end and opposing side walls that extend outwardly and downwardly from said dovetail rail, said opposing side walls terminating in mounting channels, said rearward end of said upper hand guard including a first clamping member; a clamp removably secured to said rearward end of said upper hand guard wherein said clamp cooperates with said first clamping member to engage said barrel nut, said clamp having an exterior surface including a spring biased latch member; and a lower hand guard including side walls that extend outwardly and upwardly, said side walls terminating in mating formations that are configured to be slidably received in said mounting channels in said upper hand guard and a latch receiver at a rearward end thereof, wherein said latch member releasably engages said latch receiver when said lower hand guard is engaged with said upper hand guard.