Dusty246: I shoot a number of 223's including a Remington 700 VTR with 20" of rifled barrel.
It performs VERY well - in the field and at the range.
Yes - you will give up some velocity compared to a 24 or 26 inch barreled 223 but not a lot that would make it hard for 300 yard hits.
I checked out the Rifle you are interested in via the new 2,011 Remington catalog and that model has a 1 in 9" twist barrel.
I have killt Prairie Dogs out past 300 yards with my 20" barreled 223 many times.
You should do well on Woodchucks.
Best of luck with whichever model you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
