A buddy of mine got the RRA 16" CAR upper, and it came with the exact same handguards. They do feel kinda cheap, but based on what I've seen, the Mode1 1 handguards aren't any worse than the RRAs. I've got a Model 1 lightweight CAR, and it rocks. My only complaint on this one is the plastic buttstock is kinda cheap, and it's a darker, shinier green than the handguards and the grip. Here it is:
[img]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/188491/lightweight001.jpg[/img]
For grins, I took a pic of a standard (which I believe is really a heavy, at least from the hanguards forward) next to the lightweight. Quite a difference, as you can see:
[img]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/188491/lightweight003.jpg[/img]
Oh, yeah...I DID have to send the upper back...they sent it to me with no gas hole in the gas block lol. They were very prompt about the return, turnaround was one day once they got it (I sent it to their PO box instead of their street address, USPS had it for a couple of days before Model 1 could track it down).
The seemed pretty skeptical about my diagnosis of a messed up gas block...but were very apologetic once they could see for themselves.
All in all, they came through for me when they needed to.