FWIW - the previous 28" GAP#7 (~M24 contour) barrel weighed 6.3 lb, the 30" MTU contour barrel weighs 7.5 lb, so 2" extra barrel and the thicker contour was worth about 1.3 lb extra weight. The MTU barrel has a muzzle diameter of 0.93", think how much extra metal that 1.25" straight pipe has compared to a tapered barrel, even in an MTU contour like mine. There is a lot of weight in a straight barrel, no doubt about it. My main point was that if you need portability and/or maneuverability for certain types of shooting, the extra metal in an MTU contour barrel is going to buy you very little that something like an M24, HV modified, or one one of the heavier Palma contours won't do, and at a substantial weight savings. As long as you're under the limit, weight means very little to an F-Class shooter lying on a pad on the ground, but it means a lot to someone carrying the rifle and having to maneuver it around for different shots.