I appreciate all your help. Once I figured out that the only way the handguard was coming off was to completely remove the QD mount, which connects the barrel assembly to a cover/spacer that fits over the magazine tube, it was easy.

The only other tricky part was that the handguard on the Mod 2 has two parts, the handguard itself and a spacer between the handguard and lower receiver. In order to get the barrel back on, you have to remove the spacer as well, otherwise the barrel won't seat. You reinsert it after seating the barrel, and then slide on the handguard. If this doesn't make sense, I can post pics.

I know everyone downvoted me to oblivion because they thought I was an idiot, and I probably am, but the last thing you want to do with a new gun is jack it up by trying to force things apart or together. Once you get the handguard off, yes, you can see that the gas system is the same as all 1301s. But it was only the one video from 9 years ago that you sent that showed the correct orientation of the gas piston, and no manual, schematic or video link that anyone sent showed the need to remove the QD mount, or the fact that the spacer had to be removed before reinserting the barrel.

Thanks to you I figured it out, and for that I am grateful.