I also have a Ruger Tropical in 458, with the heavy barrel. Not needing anything this heavy for hunting in my patch of the woods, I still wanted to experiment with the caliber. The heaviest of loads are fun, but I have digressed to heavy cast bullets for much of it's range time. The lighter 350's and the like tend to lead up too quickly.
Anyway, back to the weight issue, I will quickly agree that the fit comes first. Unfortunately, this rifle, while excellant, is not quite right for me if I were depending on it in a pinch. It is nice though, to have the weight of the heavy barrel. I guess that's a vote for the heavy side.
The one change I have strongly considered, is a reciever mounted peep sight. Too many toys - too little time!
Bestboss