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Joined: Jan 2001
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I do my woodchuck hunting with a .22 mag and sneak up on them. Much fun and great spot & stalk practice!
Better yet, try doing it with an open-sighted single-six.

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Joined: Oct 2002
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When I lived in Tennessee we ate all the Woodchucks we shot and I mean all of them! I used a 223 and 55 grain bullets mostly Hornady. This was before rangefinders were available not counting the huge military artillery units so we tried to make head shots. Usually hillside to hillside. What was good about the 55 gr. Hornady the further out you shot the less it expanded so you could break down and go for a body shot if it was windy in the holler. Worked out really well but I don't think I ever shot at one past 300 yards. That said if I were to build a Woodchuck gun today it would be a 22-250 with a 1-8 twist.

Last edited by rickt300; 07/07/20.

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If you’re in an area where you can make 400 yard shots, I’d skip the suppressor and spend the $ on the rifle; even something like a Ruger American Predator with a threaded barrel plus a can and fees would run well over your stated budget.
A CZ 527 Varmint (24” hb, dbm and single-set trigger) in either .204 or .223 should be well under 700 bucks. I have a .204 (discontinued) Kevlar stock model and can highly recommend those CZs. You’d have to stick with the excellent 39 grain Sierra Blitzkings, as that’s the heaviest bullet the slow 1:12”-twist barrel will stabilize (a common issue with almost all factory .204s), and the report - to my ears - is a tad louder than a .223. On the other hand, the .22 cal. high-bc 53 V-Max is a dandy round in any .223 I’ve shot, and it comes in loaded Hornady ammo, in case you don’t happen to reload.
Oh, if you’re serious about a .17 Fireball, and live in Central PA: Shaw Barrels and Custom Guns (Bridgeport?) could probably put something together for maybe $200 or so over budget.
Might also reconsider ever taking a shot without hearing protection. Good luck in your search!

Joined: Sep 2018
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Jevyod Offline OP
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Thanks for all the recommendations! I talked to some local groundhog hunters, and they really like the 17 hornet. The local gunship owner said that everybody that he knows that tried one really liked it. So I went with the hornet. After shooting a groundhog at 175 yards and seeing thw damage, I think I will be happy with it!


......the occasional hunter wielding a hopelessly inaccurate rifle, living by the fantastical rule that this cartridge can deliver the goods, regardless of shot placement or rifle accuracy. The correct term for this is minute of ego.
Joined: Jan 2002
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243 with 55 gr ballistic tips. Bullets move at 4,000 FPS and has a high ballistic coefficient. Heavy rifle and bipod so you can see impacts.



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