So here's my situation. I'm going to get my upper from RRA in a few weeks. It's a mid-length system with free-floating handguards but I did not opt for the rail system because I think they are too likely to snag on something. Instead, I want to screw on a small rail to the bottom of my receiver to mount a light (think PRI tube but with only the bottom rail). Anyway I'm assuming the rails work on a bolt-nut system where you have to have a hole in the forearm for the bolt to go through, 1) does anybody know if the RRA free float handguards come with the cooling holes that the M4 handguards have and 2) if not, has anybody tried drilling the handguards and mounting the rail that way? Any advice on this topic would be appreciated.

Did you take the forend off the gun or did you just put your rifle upside down in a vice and do it that way?

The best way is just leave the hanguard on the rifle so you have the right 'index'

My Yankee Hill Customizable FF tube came with tapped #4 (I believe) holes.

I mounted a streamlight mount on the FF handgaurd of my Bushy varminter.   It comes with a backing plate that I sliipped inside the handguard and then put 2 screws threw the base into that. works slick and was only 20$. going to put a surefire M3 on it.