An apparatus implementable on a firearm includes a quick-detach (QD) handguard assembly which includes a handguard and a locking mechanism. The handguard has a hollow therein allowing the handguard to surround a barrel of the firearm with the barrel traversing through the hollow along a longitudinal axis of the handguard. The locking mechanism is coupled to the handguard. The locking mechanism includes a QD lever configured to lock the handguard to a barrel nut of the firearm and unlock the handguard from the barrel nut.