If you buy an o/u that's priced around 1k, people usually don't ask you questions on reliablity it's mostly questions on how does it shoot and whatnot. People who buy sub $500 o/u guns usually justify their purchase, ie. "it's a great value and shoots good enough for me."

Brownings are good guns. If you can I would still go there and fit it.

As to 12ga, will be fine for most birds. Alittle too much for quail or smaller birds but with shell selection it should be fine.