As has been said over and over again, 1/2-ton trucks run out of payload way before they run out of tow capacity. The OP is contemplating a $40k-$50k purchase based on a single assumption (or "guess" as the OP put it) . . . that his trailer "tops out around 6,000 pounds".
It wouldn't be unheard of for a trailer that "tops out around 6,000 pounds" to have a 1,000 lbs. or more of hitch weight. A 1,000 lbs. of hitch weight, 200-300 lbs. of passengers, and 150 lbs. of gear can put many 1/2-ton trucks right at or over their limit---especially Ram 1500's which are notorious for low payload ratings in the higher trim levels.
The 10 - 15 percent tongue weight rule gets mentioned a lot. It's great for determining the ideal hitch weight, but it's worthless for determining a trailer's realworld hitch weight.
If I was spending $40k-$50k to match up a truck to a trailer, I would want to know how much the trailer really weighed. Secondly, and more importantly--especially if one is considering the purchase of a 1/2-ton truck, I'd certainly want to know the realworld tongue weight of the trailer. A few minutes and $10-$20 at a CAT scale can easily be the difference between a high-drama, unsafe tow experience . . . . and a low-drama, safe, tow experience.
