I recently picked up a couple cheaper Turkish made O/Us. One is an Iver Johnson 28 ga. I like it a lot, AND it has a steel receiver. The 28 is also slimmed down over what I would expect a 12 ga receiver to be. Other one is a Stevens 555 in 16 ga. It is the larger receiver/stock, much like I would expect a 12 ga to be. I have not shot it as much/not sure how much I like it yet. Both of these are in the $500-$600 range. CZ is, I think, a little more.
An Auto gun will typically be more recoil forgiving. Another down-side to an auto is that you have to go back around and pick up your hulls after a round (at least at all the clubs I have shot at).
An O/U in 12 ga can get rough after a round or two. Def want lighter target loads. I personally load for all my skeet stuff, and for the 12s, I go as light as I can get. If you go O/U, I would highly recommend one with an Extractor - NOT an Ejector, system. That way you pluck the hulls instead of getting hit in the face or picking them up!
Don't get a pump for skeet...
Also check the club bulletin boards. We have 2-3 listed there for sale.
