Hello fellow AR people! I have an Essential Arms lower that is the typical light grey color and it has a Pre-Ban Bushy Carbine upper the same color Hmmmmm? My question is, do all Essential lowers feel like they have sand or grit in them? Was this part of the casting ? The Busy Upper is smooth like a Colt Sp-1 finish. I do also have an SP-1 rifle serial #78689, how do I find out when this rifle was manufactured? I just sold my SP-1 Carbine, I sure do miss it already. Later friends,

Doorgunner60

Yes, they were all made that way.  I have heard some had a black finish toward the end of the company's prodution (1993), but have never seen one.  But it is a good finish, and the receivers hold up well.  I have never seen a functioning problem due to those lowers.