I didn't take offense or interpret it differently. Why do you think that is?
I like a little heavier than lite contour too. Lite hybrid/taperless 750/benchmark #4 are my favorites for hunting rifle.
It seems to be because lightweight stocks, combined with light weight, longer barrels makes the rifle “hollow” in the middle.
It is a perception of feel, but it seems like when the barrel is longer, while the balance point may be near the same- you have this bar where there is a bit of weight at the very back, and weight at the front, but nothing in the middle- I.E., “weight distribution”.
it really became noticeable to me when Ryan had a 6UM in his first RS lite that had a silly skinny 20 or 22” barrel with a 7oz suppressor on it and total weight was 8lbs 2.6oz. It “balanced” in front of the magwell transition- yet is one of the worst feeling and shooting hunting rifles I have ever touched. On real sandbags from a bench, heartbeat alone was moving the reticle .4 mils every beat. It was awful for both of us. My rifle that had a 16” barrel, same suppressor, was lighter by 6oz, and had the balance point at nearly the same point- was a dream to shoot. Actually the most stable and easiest to shoot sub 8lb rifle I had used up to that point. The difference was spectacularly dramatic.
Overall there are some things that seem to be common.
1). A rifle with the weight forward, and no weight in the rear sucks… but is much better than a rifle with a light front and all the weight in the butt. The number of shots that are “off-call”, or unpredictable poor shots are obvious. The lighter the total weight, the more this is noticeable.
2). Weight that is proportional through the rifle, with maybe a touch forward bias- balances, handles and carries significantly better. As well, from rested and alternate positions, offhand, etc; the stability of the rifle and number of “off-call” or unexplained poor shots goes way down- to basically nothing.
3). Stocks have an obvious effect on this. Total weight matters, as well as the design of the stock. The original ROKStok is more forgiving of barrel length and weight than the Lite for instance. While now having used 16” barrels extensively in the ROKStok, I do prefer them to 18”, and 18” over 20”, etc; the ROKStok feels good and shoots well with everything from 16” to 26” (longest I have tried).
The lite however, not so much- especially the 22-23oz ones. In direct comparison- they feel like something is completely wrong when they have a 22” barrel and suppressor in them, compared to a 16” barrel and suppressor. Now, when the lite is 26oz, it feels and performs better with that same 22” barrel. And this isn’t limited to the ROKStoks. Ignoring the design compromises, the lightest Peak44 stock feels and shoots like crap comparatively with a 22” barrel, than it does with the same barrel at 16”.
Stock design, total weight, and where and how that weight is distributed seems to be the crux of it.