Purpose of Round Tube Handguard on AR-type Guns?

How long ago? MLOK/Keymod are both still relatively new. And there wasn't really much like them other than drop-in pic rails. The DPMS free float tubes were really just meant to be that: a lightweight handguard that free floated the barrel in a time when most rifles still had front sight posts and A2-style handguards. Sure there are advantages to other things now, but the aluminum tube was a pretty big advantage over what came before it.

Ultimately, just change it out if you don't like like it. Or if you're not going to hang a bunch of stuff on it anyway, just leave it alone.

Buck Wilde said:

What is the purpose of a round, tubular handguard on an LR-308? I bought an LR-308 years ago, and it came with a bull barrel and round handguard. I understand the bull barrel, but I can't figure out the advantages of the handguard. Seems like a normal M-Lok handguard would be more useful.

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Ammo would be more useful

It's just one design of a handguard. There are many out there. Fin dthe one you like and install it onto your AR.

If you don't want to install anything on your rail, round tubes are great. Not everyone needs tacticool doodads hanging off of their rifle. These days, MLOK, Keymod & Picatinny rails offer the option of mounting things to the rail. But they're more complex to machine and thus more expensive.

I just built a basic bitch upper with a round ALG handguard and I'll be damned if it isn't one of the more comfortable rails I've ever used. And it was CHEAP.

At the time when round tubes were produced... it was a industry "standard" for a FF tube.

Times have changed , as have the FF handguard standards / Options have evolved.

Buck Wilde said:

What is the purpose of a round, tubular handguard on an LR-308?

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To hold on to it?