I purchased my new Auto ordnance army WW2 copy 1911a1 in '05 for $389 we hammered it non stop for 250rds per outing and its been flawless right out of the box. My dealer had stacks of these new AO's and the '05 new springfield GI Mil_Spec as it was called back then. I was torn between the two but purchased the new AO first then went back and purchased the new springfield too for $424.
Both new 1911's preformed flawlessly right out of the box. I did install the full length guide rod kit with the 18# recoil spring in both new 1911's.
Seeing this still proves we can still get a decent low budget 1911.
The new AO 1911 has an investment casted 4140 steel frame and a milled from bar stock 4140 steel slide. After 250rds there is no noticable wear yet.
All the springfield armory 1911's are forged steel frames and slides.
BTW; I was gun shy with purchasing the new AO but what the heck after purchasing three new top shelf 1911's that didn't function right out of box what more can i lose?? After not having a functionable 1911 I purchased a well used norinco 1911 and it showed me what all the 1911 hype is all about. Then soon after my new AO was purchased next. The new AO was the fisrt new 1911 to function right out of the box for me. It broke my 1911 curse. Since then i purchased every educational dvd and vhs video to learn how to work on the 1911 to repair them, tune them and tweek them for performance. I then used my norinco as a build platform. She now shoots 1 clover leaf per 8rd mag at 25yds using wolf ammo.