At a swap meet this weekend I traded an old Remington 550-1 for a MKIV Series 70 slide and bushing with a Colt NM barrel in it. Somebody had tried to matte the top of it with something like a vibropencil, which it why it went cheaply. I will sandblast it and Oxpho-blue it to make it look a bit better. If it shoots reasonably well (with cast boolits, of course) on one of my frames, then I will buy another frame to put it on. I'm thinking about stainless for looks. What is a reasonably priced frame that will accept readily available parts?

fourarmed,
I'd check out Brownells for a suitable frame.
Actually that is what I am doing!
FWIW DaveP

Brownell's will certainly have a good selection. I heard there was a guy at local gunshows with stainless Caspians for around $135. Does anybody have info on those? Are they cast frames? What sort of reputation do they have?

Fourarmed -

I have no direct knowledge of the particular frame you mention from Caspians, but I do know several people who know them personally and as a business they have an excellent professional reputation in general. Call them.

Fourarmed,
I have built 3 1911's on essex frames. Fine specs,everything has always fit correctly in the pin holes,ect. The slide will need to be fit to the frame but a dollop of valve compound on the slide rails and a Rawhide hammer has made that task bearable. I buily my first 1911 on a blue frame about '95 and have bought 2 stainless "enhanced" frames since. The blue frame now has a permanent home under a mech-tech carbine assembly while the 2 SS frames carry a 45 ACP and a Colt 22 slide really well. Would I buy another ? In a Heartbeat . My Colts are fine and fancy,but the Essex guns get shot a whole lot more. 45nut

Thanks for the replies. I was looking at the Essex frames, as the price is attractive and I do have a Colt .22 conversion kit that could use a home, too.