A quick release, free floating, multi-piece forward hand guard assembly for a rifle includes an inner barrel nut adapted to be affixed to a front of the rifle receiver and an outer barrel nut telescopically received over the inner barrel nut and longitudinally secured thereto. The outer barrel nut is non-rotatable with respect to the inner barrel nut. A first hand guard element is engaged with and extends forwardly from the outer barrel nut in a laterally stable cantilevered fashion, and a second hand guard element is matingly engaged with the first hand guard element for surrounding the rifle's barrel and is free floating therefrom. The second hand guard element is attached to the first hand guard element with at least one quick release fastener.