This got no coverage on this here M4 focused forum or did I miss it? I really don’t know much about the brand, but with companies HK, LMT, Noveske etc out there, much less FN, Colt, etc, all with long time mil contracts and connections, interesting they went with that company no? Claim is ST6 dropped the 416, went to a Noveske, now a SOLGW 11”.
“San Antonio, TX – Sons of Liberty Gun Works (SOLGW) is proud to announce it has been awarded a contract by U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) for the Combat Assault Rifle (CAR) program. Following a rigorous competitive evaluation, a select-fire variant of the SOLGW MK1 rifle with an 11.5-inch barrel was chosen to equip America’s most elite warfighters.
SOCOM’s evaluation demanded the highest standards of small arms performance, including extensive trials for durability, precision, reliability, and environmental resilience. The SOLGW rifle endured extreme conditions—heat, cold, dust, mud, and salt exposure—while maintaining consistent function and accuracy.
The MK1 selected by SOCOM is the result of a multi-year development effort, building upon SOLGW’s extensive experience producing ultra-reliable rifles trusted by law enforcement and civilian shooters. Every component was analyzed and refined to maximize reliability, shootability, and durability, ensuring the platform can perform anywhere in the world.”
Been running MLOK for a long time. I’ve lost track of all of SOCOM’s various small arms but the URGI and variants have been in service for like 8 years at this point and there’s at least one sniper rifle that’s been in use for a few years as well. The Noveske this replaced was also using MLOK.
Also the Geissele MRGG-S is all MLOK too. That’s in addition to at least one bolt gun that SOCOM has had for a bit IIRC. The XM-7, even though I think its dumb, is also MLOK. Honestly there may be more contracts for guns with MLOK than pic at this point.
SOLGW took their own research, the data on this site and others, VLTOR’s A5 system, partnerships with Forward Controls Design on unique design elements and mashed it all together into what seems, to me, to approach a variant of peak AR design, different but on par with KAC.
Tragic. Pic is so much better and grunt proof. You know a system is ridiculous when the interface has the option to add pic sections. I don’t think long rails with full pic on all four sides are needed.
I love my Geissele 7” rail that has pic everywhere you need it, and Mlok slots where you’d never mount anything.
Back to the rifle, my SOLGW uppers with V2 barrels, broadsword uppers, and L89 rails are wildly under rated. I’ve been very pleased with them so I bet this thing is solid.
Yeah, SOCOM is mostly MLOK. I think there’s still a few subordinate organizations using Pic rail, though. At least to some extent. MARSOC’s Block 2+ guns were/are peak in my opinion, though.
I suppose if you get your gun set up it’s probably fine. I still have my keymod rails and since I don’t move stuff around on the rails, and they’re just fine.
My first experience with Mlok was Pappabear’s bolt gun rail section. Loading the pod, and the rail was peeling off of the stock. I never gave Mlok another look.
With properly assembled quality components, MLok works extremely well. The reason I prefer Pic is that I don’t prefer skinny rails, and I like the finer adjustment fore and aft that it provides vs MLok for flashlight placement ever since I decided to permanently give up on tape switches.
It is true that the parts have to be in spec and installed correctly. But the only real downside I see to it is that companies started making super narrow rails and the nuts/screws can come in contact with the gas block. Beefier rails like the KAC URX 4 and SOLGW L89 don’t have that problem IME. Of course, barrel profile matters too. But in most cases, the pic doesn’t add capability IMO. I’ll take a lighter rail so I can pack a heavier optic all day.
Also MLOK was immediately popular when it was launched in 2014. It’s been over a decade, if it was problematic, it’d be close to death at this point like keymod.
