Hi Y'all,
I am starting to plan my first build (hopefully in the somewhat near future) and I'm pretty interested in the M&A Parts 20" E2 kit w/ the 1:7 chrome lined barrel (to go on a stripped Stag Arms lower).  In the "upgrades" menu, the have listed "DCM FF Handguard system" for $125 and "NM Free Floating Handguards" for $25  Does anyone know what the deal is with this?  Does $25 get you handguards only(no float tube)?

Uhh...the handguards ARE the tube. The only difference between normal handguards and free-floating handguards in terms of installation is that the front sight must be removed and generally a special barrel nut supplied with the tube must be used.
Free-float handguards are one-peice, and do not touch the barrel. Not touching the barrel keeps pressure off of the barrel and therefore increases accuracy. I looked some up, and the standard free float tube is $40, so $25 seems like a good deal.

You might want to try some railed free float tubes so you can add bipods, vertical foregrips, flashlights and the like. Yankee Hill Machine probably has the cheapest railed free float tubes you can find.

edit: Nice choice on the chrome-lining there

LBR223,
   
    National Match FF tube is exactly that. A tube that takes the place
of you hand guards. If you look at most varmint rigs that is what they have.

The DCM FF tube look like regular hand guards, but still free float.
If you look up a DCM rifle it looks like it has normal handguards.
They are free floated. The tube is under the hand guards.

They both serve the same purpose.
FF'ing the barrel will add alittle accuracy.

banks308

The $125 FF option will give you the traditional handguards that are attached to a FF tube. The $25 option is for the cylindrical aluminum FF tubes that you see on varmint rifles.

Thanks Y'all--that's what I was wondering about.  I have a DCM rifle and I'm looking to build something just like it (only lots lighter) for a practice/hunting/plinking rifle.  

Since you were asking about M&A parts, I ran the above comments past the owner, Bill Caplan and he says: "Dead on".

I 'spose that's why I keep referring questions that people have to this website at www.ar15.com