You're missing the point, but you're also the one that was quick to dismiss anyone coming at you with the argument that perhaps you need to work on your fitness then if the few ounces is that big of an issue, or come to terms with your age and abilities in regards to product requirements and tasks.
1) You have no idea of my level of fitness. Any idea you have on my fitness is an assumption made on your part without any actual viable information to do so. Did you miss the part where I do Run N Gun comps?
I completed a 2 day pistol training class yesterday. The last thing we did was a run and shoot drill. My run time was second fastest, 2 seconds off of a 20-something athletic dude in good shape. He is literally half my age, less than half in fact. My overall score was the top in the class, with the highest shooting score, so I must not be that bad in the conditioning department....
2) I have already stated, in quite a clear manner, that I accept the limitations that come with my age, and therefore my product requirements may be affected by this. But thanks for agreeing with exactly what I already stated. Your approval means a lot to me.
3) Weight is weight. Period. If you have a race car, and you take weight off of it, the car will perform better. If you add horsepower to the car while keeping the same weight, it will perform better. If you add horsepower and take off weight it will perform best of all.
If you have a soldier, and you take weight off his loadout, he will perform better. If you have a soldier and you get him in better shape while carrying the same loadout, he will perform better. If you have a soldier, get him in better shape and take weight off his loadout, he will perform best of all.
This really is simple physics. I don't understand why people struggle with it.
4) It is not about the 3oz on the mount, or the 4oz on the scope. It is about ALL of it. If you need to take 5lbs out of your loadout, there are not likely any single 5lb objects you can remove. It must come ounces at a time, maybe grams at a time, from everywhere in your system. And maybe that 3-4oz of optics will help you perform the shooting part better. Maybe that is an acceptable tradeoff, maybe it isn't. Maybe there is a different, lighter option to consider where there is not as much tradeoff of weight/performance. These choices are individual and complex, so it is a good thing there are so many experts on the internet to help us clueless folk figure it out. Where would we be otherwise?
BTW: I see people in Mammoth carry aluminum-case 9mm ammo because it weighs a few grams less per round. They get it. Weight is weight. It adds up.