U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has awarded Sons of Liberty Gun Works (SOLGW) a contract under the Combat Assault Rifle (CAR) program, with the company saying SOCOM chose a select-fire variant of SOLGW’s MK1 featuring an 11.5-inch barrel. SOLGW posted the announcement on November 20, 2025.
If you spent time behind an M4A1 and learned its personality under heat, carbon, and bad decisions, note that the headline here is not “new caliber” or “space gun.” It is a familiar rifle concept that SOCOM is trying to make run harder, smoother, and longer in the conditions that chew up ordinary equipment.
What SOLGW Says SOCOM Tested For
The folks at Sons of Liberty frame the selection as the result of a “rigorous competitive evaluation,” with SOCOM demanding extensive trials for durability, precision, reliability, and environmental resilience. The company says the rifle endured extreme conditions, including heat, cold, dust, mud, and salt exposure, while maintaining function and accuracy. Salt exposure? Hmmmm….makes you wonder what kinds of units might be getting this new top-of-the-line bang stick.
That language from Sons of Liberty matters because it tells you what SOCOM cares about. This was not a marketing bake-off. It is a weapon built to keep cycling when everything around it is trying to induce malfunctions.
Why 11.5 Inches Keeps Winning Fights
We Are The Mighty notes the MK1’s 11.5-inch barrel sits in the modern “sweet spot” for short-barrel reliability when paired with a carbine-length gas system, compared to 10.3-inch setups that can run more violently and accelerate wear.
In plain terms, 11.5 inches is often the difference between a rifle that runs like a sewing machine and one that runs like a chainsaw. Both can punch holes or cut, but only one does it all day without shaking itself apart.
What the MK1 Actually Is, Based on SOLGW’s Published Specs
SOLGW’s MK1 CAR 11.5 product page describes the platform as starting with a billet upper, lower, and rail receiver set, and a MK1-specific rail system intended for minimal rail deflection, integrated cable routing, built-in texturing, and 7-sided M-LOK with a continuous M1913 Picatinny top rail.
The same page states the extended barrel nut is titanium and coated to assist with heat management.
On the barrel side, SOLGW lists an 11.5-inch “Recce” P3 barrel, carbine gas system, and a HUXWRX muzzle device, plus polygonal-style rifling and barrel options (chrome-lined or stainless) with a claim of sub-MOA performance with match ammunition.
On the operating system, SOLGW specifies an enhanced A5-length buffer system for recoil management, and lists premium components including an NP3-coated bolt carrier group, Liberty 2-stage trigger, and an ambidextrous Badger safety selector.
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Those are SOLGW’s published specs for the commercial configuration. SOCOM’s contract gun is a select-fire variant, and SOLGW has not publicly itemized every contract-line detail beyond the 11.5-inch selection and the evaluation language.
Still taken from a Sons of Liberty Gun Works video.
What We Still Do Not Know
SOLGW’s release does not provide a contract value or identify which SOCOM component gets the first rifles. They are mum on this one. For now.
Other outlets report SOLGW told them the program ran nearly two years from request for information to award, and that contract rifles were expected to be delivered in early 2026. That is attribution, not an official SOCOM release.
Why This Will Matter to the People Carrying It
If the MK1 delivers as intended, it will not be a headline for long; it will be a standard, and that is how professionals measure success.
