The present invention describes a firearm hand guard assembly attachable to a threaded firearm receiver wherein it surrounds the firearm barrel distally along the longitudinal axis of the barrel. The hand guard assembly is comprised of a threaded barrel nut component and a grip component configured such that when the hand guard assembly is attached to the firearm receiver, the sole direct contact between the firearm and the hand guard assembly is the contact between the barrel nut and the firearm receiver threads.