Well, I looked around and don't see any "buddies", so that method is out.  Saw a fancy handguard wrench in a magazine, don't have that either.

It's just me and a new set of handguards (Calvary M4) and I'm getting nowhere fast.

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Seems to me you have two choices, without scaring up the Delta Ring:

Get a friend to help

Order the tool from the following place  www.deltawrench.com  $20.00. I got one awhile back and its great. Or, read the active thread in the Maintenance and Cleaning Forum "Homemade Hardguard Tool"

I may even be necessary to trim/sand/file the corners on the rear end of the hand guard.  I have had to do this on occasion to new hand guards.

Here's a link to a web page that I put together a while back on making a simple handguard removal/installation tool. All that's needed to make the tool is a two foot long piece of 1/4" steel rod, a vise, a propane torch, and a couple of feet of rubber tubing. Three bucks worth of material, no welding involved, and takes about ten minutes.

quartz2.cyberstation.net/~dwpaul/hgrt.htm

Check it out. This little sucker really works.

HTH . . . . . Doug

Thanks guys.  I'm going to build the tool using the excellent instructions provided.

If you don't want to make a tool (thanks for the link, Doug. I'm going to try it), here are two alternate tips--
file or grind a small (1/4" or so) bevel on the four surfaces that contact the delta ring when you are trying to slip it over the handguard halves. That reduces the clearance needed, and makes installation much easier. It doesn't affect the function at all and isn't visible when handguards are installed. But go slow--material is hard to put back on.
Then get one of the rubber "gripper" thingies out of the kitchen to hold the delta ring to the rear. My toolbox will never be without a couple of these.
Standing the upper straight up on the work bench also seems to work better than any other way. Holding your mouth just right always seems to help too.
Good luck.
Imcoltsguy.

real AR owners dont need tools.

I never have a problem removing and installing the handguards. Don't never pay attention to exactly how I do it but basicly just hold the delta ring with one hand and install or remove the guards with the other.

Pull the bottom part of the delta ring down then pull the bottom handguard out then move to the top. Never used a tool and never had to much problems and saved $20, for more bullets....

hmmm..I just pulled down on the delta,popped the BM car guards off,popped the CavArms M4's on. Three / four mins. work, no tools needed, no scratching.
Did I do something wrong? [>:/]

Field expediant handguard tool:
16" para-cord
1 pr. "channel locks" pliers w/rubber coated handles

Tie para-cord in a loop, loop it thru itself in the trigger guard.

Place "channel lock" handles around D-ring, loop para-cord around the jaws of "channel locks, grasp and pry down on handles, pop handguards off.

Some handguards are just longer than others and are harder to install (some are REAL hard to install). If you mess with enough AR's you'll run into some of the ones that cause you to wish for a little stronger grip and a little more patience.

 I built that little handgaurd tool!!!! Cost me about 4 dollars in material at my Home Depot here in Arizona.  Had fun makin' it!!!  Works great.
 Actually it is usually only the new AR-15's that are kinda hard to get off, from what I understand, and not neccessarily all of them.  Once you have compressed the d-ring enough times it gets easy enough to do by hand...so those who are having trouble don't despair just let it break in.