Tricky business…igli said:
Yes, they did originate on the Pacific Rim… I am under the impression that we're talking the Philippines, but some of the traditionally unreliable sources have cited Norinco as the actual manufacturer.
Yes, Brolin Arms is out of business.
Yes, the importer was in California, Pomona as I recall.
As far as "Made in USA," that is fudged on a regular basis… my "prize" A-O 1911A1 "WW II" (which now resides in my friend Matt's personal battery) started life in Spain, but was machined in Vermont and assembled in Noo Yawk, and came with that "Made in USA" sticker affixed to the case. Brolin's 1911-pattern pistols probably traveled a similar route, as Oriental components and Occidental assembly. And some, I think, used Kart barrels, which speaks extremely well of their choice of at least that component.
Another "people say" kinda thing is that they had surprisingly decent triggers, but as I never so much as dry-fired one, I cannot speak to that issue.
You carefully avoided mentioning what you paid for the pistol, and uncertainty will do that to a first-time poster, so let's jus' say that if you didn't pay more than $275-300 for it, you didn't have your pants pulled down.
And that's my core-dump on Brolin Arms.