If retro-building a Pony or other assembled 1911 isn't your goal--and you don't want to take the caspian/wilson/Baer route, there's still a few other options.
The key points are oversized and forged. Cast offer too many issues-- especially those frames made from two seperate castings and then brazed together such as Olympic arms or Essex/Sarco frames.
Numrich was offering National match frames for a while at a decent price-- something like 169 bucks if I heard correctly. However, I would call since their website (
http://www.e-gunparts.com) hasn't been updated lately and they're still only listing the Tecnema used frames (listed as out of stock/back ordered)
Otherwise how about going with a "short block," a prefitted frame, slide, and barrel-- several companies offer them, the ones that immediately come to mind are Caspian, Fusion, and STI/SVI.
Bob Serva's been doing wonders for Fusion-- his shortblock kits are reasonably priced, and our friend Longslide on 1911.org has done several custom builds with Serva and sings praise for both the quality of the parts and Bob's abilities as a smith and salesman. Hell, look what he did for Dan Wesson.
I cannot recall who was making STI/SVI's single stack frames, however, a friend and I had no issues building one of their 2011 prefit kits.
RRA makes a darn good pistol-- I am still kicking myself for not getting one of their tacticals when they were first introduced several years back. They were something like 750 a pop, your choice of front strap treatment and other anemities at no extra cost, and I went with a Pro Carry II.
Only foriegn made hunk of metal I would touch would be something by Boy Tolentino-- It's Phillipino and imported by Ivan and Rock Island, but I'd trust Tolentino's work-- IMHO he's the Chow of the Phillipines.
And before folks go to maulling me with gym socks fulla reject slides, remember that STI/SVI got a foothold from Phillipino parts production.
The all important question is what're you looking for exactly in terms of the ergonomics, handling, and use.
Are we talking a discreet carry PDW, truck'n'bump beater, BBQ show piece, or gaming blaster--that'll help in terms of helping you pick frame, barreling, and who to have assemble it.
If we're talking a 10mm hunter-- a fusion longslide would be your best bet, or if it's something for IDPA or steel plates, .38 super or .45 using a Caspian "Race ready" might help save a smith having to weld up a magwell or do a msh curve blend.
More specifically-- would you want a ramped barrel such as a Nowlin or a high sweep gripsafety with or without the memory bump/swell.
That's just my amateur two-bits, but figuring out those factors will save in the long run--once we know where and how the barrel is integrated with the design, and where the gun fits into your hand for your desired intent, the rest falls into place: from sights to what kind of guide rod and even firing pin stop.
How do you want it to look and how do you want it to shoot?
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