I am considering purchasing Ruger's KM77RLFP MKII all weather ultralight stainless synthetic in 270 Winchester. This rifle has a 20 inch barrel. What kind of muzzle flash and blast can I expect with 130 grain factory loads? What hand loads will reduce flash and blast? Thanks!

Dogger, you are going to spend a lot of time stamping out grass fires in front of your shooting position with a 20" 270. I used to have a .308 in 18" barrel and it would clear a firing line of shooters as if a concussion grenade went off. I had a lot of partially deaf enemies back then.

Truthfully this rifle is going to be hell for blast and muzzle flash as well with most powders.
But on a bright note, it is sure going to be handy to hunt with. And of course you'll lose a little performance of what the 270 can do...but if these items don't matter to you, go for it.
Muzzle flash shouldn't affect your hunting. In fact your friends can keep up with you better as they can just follow the flashing light.

Some powders are worse than others. My favorite powder for muzzle flash was 4895. I used to have an 18" 8X57 Mauser and with this powder at night it was just a big white ball of light. Like someone popped a flashbulb in your eyes.

Should be an interesting rifle.

I had an 18" 243 and to get rid of daytime flash had to go to seriously faster powders (H322 and 85gr bullets)I never got rid of the blast though. I would think this will ruin your ears with one deer. It's not just the increase in volume it's the closer proximity to your ears.

Pecos45, yours is the most entertaining response I have read in awhile on this forum! I am still laughing. OK, forget the short barrel with the 270 Winchester! I'll look around for a 24 inch tube... or go with a 260 Remington in a 20 inch barrel...

I just got rid of a M77 MKII RSI in .270 with a 18 1/2" penciel barrel on it. With the lightweight and rockhard recoil pad on that thing, I never got around to being bothered by the flash. The sharp pain of the recoil kept my mind off of it! Personally I would opt for at least for a 22" barrel and would feel like I was getting my money's worth if it had a 24" on it. TC

Dogger:

I hunt mostly via backpacking so I appreciate short light rifles and own several. However the .270 is not a cartridge well suited for that goal. You could buy a 7-08 and get about the same velocity with a 130 speer as with a .270 factory load when both were in a 20" tube. BTW, my 7-08 is a 20" barrel and I get less ruckus from the muzzle with a powder like RL-15 than I do when using say H-414 or IMR 4350.

Don't give up on a short, light gun, just choose a caliber that is better suited for that barrel length.

JimF

The same rifle would be better suited to the 308, IMHO. If you handload and use the faster powders, flash and blast should be a fraction of that of a 270. JMO, Dutch.

I hunted extensively in Alaska, New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado with a 20" barreled Mannlicher-Schoenauer carbine in .270 Win. caliber. I never noticed the muzzle blast, flash, or recoil of this rifle either when zeroing, or hunting!! Granted, it would have performed better with a 22" or 24" barrel, but it was TOTALLY ADEQUATE for all of my needs in the field! (It never started any fires, but I have had smouldering patches from a muzzleloader do this!!)

I currently have a 7x57 in a Ruger Mark II teamed with a Leupold 3x9-40; the combination weighs a little over 8 lb and barrel length is 22 inches. I want something lighter and handier for humping the mountains.