I think I like the plain barrel better for hunting although the vent looks more modern. What about you?
I do like a vent rib, but the matted plain barrels are lighter to carry in the field. (Then again, there is a marked difference in weight between Belgium Browning barrels and Jap barrels (those that were threaded for choke tubes.)
I have both and like both about the same. The plain barrel seems to make the gun handle a little better to me, and comes up faster on the target.