UTPA I have just recently received a 16" rra varmint with the flat-top. Ive only shot it a few times at close range(50yds) with iron sights and am waiting on some scope mounts before I comment on accuracy. I purchased it for some of the same reasons as yourself. Coyotes, hogs, plinking, and another gun for the house and bangin' around are a few. The 16" barrel creates plenty of muzzle weight,if not too much. Id hate to have a 20". If velocity and downrange energy were a large concern, I wouldn't be shooting a 223. Ive shot a custom xp100 with a 12" barrel some and figure its enough for my needs. Same with 16". No matter how you dress it up(223), or lengthen the tube, its still a med range varmint caliber. Unless you are expecting this thing to wear a scope every minute of its existance, I would skip the eop. just my $.02