brownell's sells several frames, les baer , caspian, used to be listed. also fusion arms has frames. it looks like you've been around for awhile, but in case some newer folks look in, i'd recommend staying away from used frames if you can't see it in person or know for sure where it came from. we get several posts a year wanting to know what the poster has. some really scarry stuff, from both a legal, and safety stand point.

 

I ordered one from Caspian recently. It took about 3 weeks.

 

Brownells house brand frames are excellent...made for them by Ed Brown. They're stainless and the tangs are already radiuses for a .250 grip safety.

Caspian can be sourced from Brownells for less but they're carbon steel (if that matters)...but I've found they take more fitting than the Brownells frames...which can be tedious.

I've been fairly lucky with Brownells frames having slides that glide right on with no further fitting required...doesn't always happen but no other brand I've tried has done that. That may be more a function of the slide than the frame.

Maybe the best deal of all...try Thunder Mountain Custom. They sell Oriskany Arms frames and have been running a sale for $178 per frame...but may have few left. The frames are very, very good and the folks at Thunder Mountain are awesome to deal with. They have an order in with Oriskany Arms for more frames but I've no idea at what price point they'll be at. I need at least one Officers frame and a couple of Commander frames the they're out of at the moment.

 

I assume the OP is looking for a Colt frame. Colt has never sold frames separately, so your only choice is going to be a frame from a gun that was parted out. There is (or was) at least one seller on Gunbroker who liked to take new pistols and sell the upper and lower halves separately, presumably because he made more money by doing so.

 

Colt won’t sell you a virgin 1911 frame. Your best bet bet is to hit the pawn shops and gun shop used sections and try to find a Colt in poor condition and use it as a donor. If it were me, I’d just order a GI style frame from Fusion Firearms or Brownells and just learn to live with my mix-master. It’s only original once, after all.

 

Keep an eye on this seller. They seem to have Colt complete frames on a "regular" basis.

New COLT Classic Complete 1911 Frame Series 70 .45 ACP Government - Semi Auto Pistols at GunBroker.com : 1121933806

 

Keep an eye on this seller. They seem to have Colt complete frames on a "regular" basis.

I bought one off him to build (complete) a vintage Colt .22 conversion kit to whole pistol.

I thought it pricey, but then again, there it was.

 

Some years back I purchased a NOS Delta Elite blue slide and NOS barrel. It took some patience but eventually on Gunbroker someone was selling a Delta Elite frame topped with an aftermarket slide and barrel. I purchased it for very reasonable money...sold off the aftermarket slide and barrel and ended up with a stainless frame/blue slide Delta...all (well...mostly) Colt! It's a great shooter.