I don' t know how prices are in the U.S compared with the U.K , but I bought a browning silver hunter 4 years ago (it was the cheapest semi auto on the market £300) and I have had no trouble with it at all , it' s a working gun and its in the truck or on the quad every day its fire about 10000 rounds and I haven' t had a jam yet and thats using just about every size of load.
A freind of mine has a new bennelli and a browning gold and he has no end of trouble with them jamming.
Hope this is of some interest and it would be good to hear how you guys rate the silver.

stew