Phil's quote "What manufacturers really need to do is make super light loads in cheap 100 packs to sell at Wal Mart, because that is where 98 percent of Americans buy their ammo, and they buy it according to the number on the price tag rather than any other spec on the box."

Phil,

You've already posted what is wrong with your idea.

People won't read the label and will then get po'd when stores won't take ammo back because it won't cycle their semi-autos.

Then these same folks will take to the internet and complain about how Walmart sells junk ammo and that they (Walmart) won't back what they sell......

So no....I doubt we see Walmart give this a whirl....

Another option would be to add a couple side plates made from some kind of coated lead to the receiver. Smooth out the swing a bit anyway, and would kick almost identically if you consider 1 1/8 oz at 1150 in a 9.5 pound gun vs. 15/16 oz. at 980 in a 7 lb. gun. Then the Almighty Wal-Mart wouldn't get any returns and somebody could come up with a snappy trade name (DeKickenator and DeKickenator Extreme?) and make literally hundreds of dollars!

Before last Spring Turkey Season to start, some dummy at Wal-Mart ordered all the 12ga 3 ½ with 1oz loads.

Perhaps FirstBubba said it best,

Bill C. usta say, "The only reason they make magnums is so the Cajuns in south Louisiana can feel pain and hear noise when they pull the trigger!"

This has been a Gun Nut FLASHBACK MOMENT!

Well Phil, at least you know why you do not have a career in marketing. BTW, do you have any favorite reloading recipes that duplicates these loads in those hulls?*

* I think that last sentence illustrates why I do not have a career as a writer.

I rarely can be found on the trap range so I don't have much experience to speak from. Light clothing is one of the worst culprits for nasty recoil. That's why it's not terribly noticable for me in the field where I do most of my shooting (that and the fact that I'm not firing 25 rounds in a row).

A good point is made that the ultra-light loads are not always a good option for auto shooters. And since it seems most everyone feels the need to go to lightweight autos these days (or stick with their cherished O/Us), I see Winchester possibly making some problems for themselves here. When right out of the chute a box of some new type of shells jams or won't reset the triggers, the customer is not only going to stop buying the product line, he will get a bad taste in his mouth for the company that made them.

My personal opinion is this: those who wish to engage in this sport should expect some punishment. It's part of the game. I am sure NFL wide receivers would be much more maneuverable and exciting to watch if they ran their plays in a speedo instead of all padded up (well, more exciting for some fans more than others), but I doubt many would go for the option if it was made available. Personally, when I was a little kid learning to shoot I got kind of a kick out of being kicked. I was being a man like my dad.

Clkay Cooper: Loved the Gun Nut flashback moment !
My son has been the shotgun instructor at the local BSA camp the last two year and agian this summer. As he had been trained properly by his dad about recoil so they have been using the Fiocchi trainer loads ( 3/4 oz 7 1/2, 1175 fps ) for the recoil shy kids and Remington Gun Club for the ones who could absorb more. They also bought a 20 gauge youth 1187 last year to help with the recoil issue ( would that fall under the spend $$ to save $$ blog ? )as the were using mostly 870's.
PbHead: I think you find some nice recipes to reload using " our " favorite powder :)
Also as I tell THE PARENTS in the hunter ed classes I help teach, every gun can be made into a single shot..... When teaching a new shooter they should only load one shell at a time, # 1 safety #2 learn to make one shot count

deadeyedick -- my Benelli Montefeltro cycles the 12 gauge version of these and I have heard of one or two other semiautos that will -- most, but not all, inertia-trigger O/Us work with Featherlites

GREAT IDEA PHIL!! Reducing recoil, especially for less experienced shooters would be a wonderful thing. Because of the cost of lead I've started reloading 3/4-ounce of lead in 12 gauge. No surprise that the load is very reliable at breaking skeet targets, but I shot a round of five-stand with it and was amazed how far out it would break targets, even with the Improved Cylinder choke in place. BTW, my Beretta 391 cycles these loads reliably. What a treat to shoot the equivalent of a 28 gauge shell in my 12 gauge gun.

My humble opinion FWIW is that these loads definitely have a niche in the shooting sports and especially as stated when teaching anyone of small stature the fine points of shotgun shooting at a trap or skeet range.
I started my boys on a 20 gauge single barrel Stevens youth model (still have it) and those small light single barrel shotguns can really kick. There are plenty of shotguns out there where recoil isn't necessary to reset triggers or operate the action.
I'll use myself as an example. For the last 1.5 years I have become involved in Cowboy Action Shooting. I use a cut down Stevens 311H (easy Dave) double barrel as a coach gun. I'm 63 and in good shape for my age but a day of rapid firing a 12 gauge double would be a pain in the neck (literally) if it wasn't for those light loads. They are easier on the targets, easier on my shoulders, and I feel better at the end of the day. I wish the lightweight loads had been around when my kids were younger. When one is in the field hunting, felt recoil is not usually an issue because one is concentrating on the game and caught up in the excitement of the moment. While shooting trap and skeet and even sporting clays, or teaching a youngster to shoot I've noticed that yeah there is some excitement and anticipation, but not the same as while out in the field hunting. I'll wager that many people who have had to deal with a flinching problem can trace it to a shotgun. Anyway, that's my 2 cents and sorry it was so long.

Ill have to try some. My grandson is a little uneasy about his 20 gauge. Maybe these will help him.