I have a DPMS LR308  and I wanted to put a free float 4 rail handguard on it. I ordered a DPMS handguard. I assume my  rifle  is carbine length,  it has 16 " barrel. The package said the  handguard was 7" which I thought was what carbine length is. I laid the          handguard down beside the stock handguard and the free float handguard is 2" longer. So I take the stock handguards off and lay them by the rifle. This free float handguard would leave 2" of the gas tube exposed. I have never seen one with the gas tube exposed like this would be. The free float handguards have to be wrong. Can anybody tell  me where I went wrong. The free float handguards were from DPMS and I was told by someone at DPMS that these were the right ones. Is the standard length for a LR308 handguard 9". Does anyone make a 9" free float 4 rail  handguard for a DPMS LR308.

Pictures would help.

ETA: Are you sure it isn't a midlength?

Do you have a mid length with a 16" barrel?

If you could post pictures it would help us help you much more efficiently.

Here is a photo.

I went back to the Bushmaster website and looked up the specs.  My rifle is listed as a 16" MOE which is 34" long. Bushmaster also has what they call a 16" mid length MOE which is 32.5 " long. Mine is a 308 where the other is a 223. That must be where the problem is. mine must be considered s mid-length. Next question what company sells free float 4 rail handguards for a mid-length Bushmaster or DPMS 308

.308 AR's fall under the AR10 banner - not AR15. There are almost no AR10 milspec guns, and the makers play with the specs enough that there are interchangeability issues. They tend to fall into groups and are a breed apart from the typical one size fits most AR15.

Keep in mind what brand you bought in a .308 as it determines what parts will fit. From there order with the specification stating .308 will work. There are far fewer .308 suppliers out there compared to 5.56 and that jump means many fewer parts interchange. It's a pretty limited supplier's market - much the same as any single traditional model. Rem 700 parts don't fit Win 70's kind of thing, regardless of the similar look. It's a niche build in .AR10s because of the limitations.

Id just go with rifle length and call it a day.

You have a mid length.

I'd look at Midwest Industries. Great rails at a great price.

Also, your bipod and your scope mount is on backwards.