are you planning on packing the gun in the mountains?? why does an extra pound matter so much?? I seldom walk more than 400 yards to a stand. Weight is a concern but only to the extent that it allows me to quickly move my gun and make a shot. There are plenty of medium weight barrels out there that offer length but not excessive weight. lots of guys want a 16" barrel. your likely giving up 200 FPS doing that. not the end of the world but even that is too much when you consider even for a coyote gun IMO the 223 is under powered. some will scoff at that, whatever. 20" barrel lilja ar 740, criterion hybrid, or black hole LTR, that should be what your after. then a midwest gen 2 ss, or nordic float tube. a nikon scope mount is probably 5 oz.