I know 3 people that own one. First was my instructor, who is/was a Marine Sniper and couldn't give enough praise of it. So much so, that my buddy went out and bought one as his carry gun. He loves it. Finally, my neighbor is a former Recon Marine and pistol team member, and he loves his too.
2 marines and 1 rookie all confirm what you've found to be the case. The Bersa Thunder is a great, inexpensive, and reliable pistol. If you can find one under $300, it's a good deal and you should get it. If it's over $300, you should probably shop around some more.