For carry on a run of the mill trouser belt,I like a gun in the mid 20 oz range like a S+W M60 or M63.I have a Bianchi trouser type gun belt and that vastly improves things.I still don't want to carry over 3 lbs on the belt and the closer I can get to 2 lbs,the better.I set up a Sheriff's Vaquero for belt carry and it is 35 oz unloaded,comfortable on the Bianchi belt.A S+W Mountain Gun is 40 oz,before loading and works pretty well also.
Most of my woods carry guns are 3"-4".When I'm hiking in the summer and want to travel light,it is a 3" M60 on the belt.If I'm thinking about bears,it might be the .45 Colt Sheriff's,3" M29 or 4" Mountain gun.If I'm hiking and seriously hunting,it would be a 4" Redhawk in .45 Colt and heavy loads,carried in a shoulder holster.It's an extremely accurate gun.
These days I have gravitated to mostly shoulder holsters as they don't drag on the truck seat when I'm in and out a lot.They also don't drag in the dirt when I sit on a steep,rocky hillside.Also,falling on your butt on a steep hill,in snow or dirt can plug a muzzle with a belt carried open end holster.That happened to me a couple years ago on a lion hunt.
I think my favorite is a full coverage flap holster as a shoulder rig.