ORIGINAL: gunnermhr
You won't see too many people shooting any sizable amount of Skeet or Trap with a semi auto. If you want to play with the big boys it's gonna cost you about $1,000 and believe me that is cheap when your talking about this sport. Your best bet is to get an over under. I imagine you can still find a decent used Browning for around $1k. If your talking about going out back with a hand thrower thats a different story. Heck any shot gun with a modified choke will do maybe even an improved cylinder
A gent I worked with at the gun shop in SC was a three time state champion skeet shooter. All he ever shot was a competition grade Remington 1100. Never slowed him down any.
The issue with a used browning or other O/U in that price range, is that while they are good guns, they are entry level O/Us. A browning in that price range would likely be a standard citori, which is a field gun. Its an extremely good field gun, but its sort of like playing hockey in a pair of fine Italian wingtip shoes... there is a tool for every job.
Most of the hardcore skeet shooters do in all honestly shoot O/Us, unless they are sponsored by a company trying to sell semi-autos. Clays grade over unders start at about $2500 new and go 'up'.... way 'up'. Most semi autos (sporting grade) are about half that, but you can pay as much as $1900 for a new one if you try really hard.