I have one for sale and I don't know if its Eagle Arms or Essential Arms although I'm pretty sure its Essential Arms. Is it cast or forged? Need to answer for a potential buyer.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to answer my questions.

Dude, how do we know? Read the side, Essential was in Lousiana, IIRC. Eagle was up north.

Well Dude, looks like you do know.

Says  
E.A. CO.
KR SPR. LA.

One down one to go.

Rough finish, or smoother one with machining marks? Does it make a hollow noise when you tap on it? Its hard to explain a cast receiver to someone, but I can tell them when I see them. There is probably a surefire way to tell, but I don't know one.

Now thats the thing, I know this was at the time considered I guess a "value" lower and if it were cast I would expect an inconsistent finish and to have areas where the "flash" from the molds wasn't ground down all the way. But its really nice, and smooth.

Sounds like it could well be forged. My EA is cast.

Yeah, I just hate to give this guy the wrong info. I was hoping someone would know that EA "never" made forged or something. But I guess its a crap shoot. If I were to bet on it though I would say its forged.

But thanks a lot for the answers.

Some forged, some cast, thats what I have always heard.

EA makes both cast and forged now, but in the past, before they shut down in '93, it is my understanding they had only cast.

HOWEVER, there cast receivers were the best, in my and many others opinions, on the market.  Machining was good, parts fit, critical dimensions, etc, all good.

I had one, it worked well.  

Main problem, most were finished in a medium gray, the mfg says matched the original M16 color, which it did.  Problem is, there are no matching gray uppers now.  EA offered A1 and A2 gray uppers way back when, but none available now.

If gray, you can use Norrell's Flat Black Moly Resin www.molyresin.com to make it match current upper very well.  I will be spraying and baking a local LEO's gray lower next week.

Ed to add, most were investment cast by Ruger's casting division.

Ed to add, most were investment cast by Ruger's casting division.

From all that I've read ....All EA were cast.....I've had one for years and it's always been trouble free......