Hand guards for firearms and related methods are provided. In one example, a hand guard includes an elongated housing. The elongated housing comprises a lumen configured to substantially surround an intermediate portion of a barrel of a firearm, a lateral side wall, and a pair of inclined side walls respectively disposed on opposite sides of and inclined relative to the lateral side wall. Each of the inclined side walls comprises an elongated slot, wherein the elongated slots of the inclined side walls define a pair of angulated faces of a rail adapted to receive an accessory to be mounted thereon. For example, the rail may be a reduced-height Picatinny rail provided by the lateral side wall of the housing.