Welcome everyone to the eighth edition of ‘Hot Gat or Fudd Crap?’, one of our many series here on TFB. If you missed any one of our other articles, this is where we look at the most obscure firearms that are actually for sale and ask the question – is this an awesome deal or something with an only fudd appeal?  Each week the TFB staff weighs in with their thoughts, but readers get the final say in the poll at the bottom of each article.

In our last edition, our poll showed that you, the readers, found the ‘Gunisher Custom‘ to be just too much punishment.  

As of this moment, the Gunisher Glock remains for sale on GunBroker until it finds a suitable home.

In this week’s edition, we look at what happens when you sporterize a piece of history.  As always, this gun is currently up for sale on GunBroker with a starting bid of $399.99 and No Reserve.  

HOT GAT or FUDD CRAP?  Rattlecan Tactical M1917 Enfield

Let’s see what the Staff had to say about this week’s offering:

“For when you have mil-surp friends & tactical buddies, but only have enough money for 1 gun & 2 cans of spray paint.” – Adam S.

“Sort of want meme face.” – Pete

“Butchered. Oh god, the muzzle device and front sight, the humanity!” – Matt M.

“British start, brutish end.” – Giorgio O.

Selling this sporterized M1917 Enfield is nockedload09, located in Lampasas Texas. Let’s see what they had to say about these modern modifications on a classic rifle:  

This is a used, sporterized M1917 Enfield from the Eddystone Arsenal that was manufactured in February 1918. This rifle has a 26″ barrel chambered in .30-06 and has been ported at the end. It comes as pictured with a Nikon Monarch 5-20x scope. Credit card users will incur a 3% fee. Be sure to check out our other auctions for more great deals!

Now before we dive headfirst into what went wrong with this rifle, let us address it first in its proper configuration.  

Commonly referred to as the “American Enfield” the M1917 was the American variant to the British Pattern 1914 Enfield. It was chambered in .30-06, instead of .303 British, but carried with it the same modified Mauser action. Its primary use would be in World War I by American Expeditionary Forces in Europe. Fun fact, more M1917s made it to France than M1903 Springfields.

If you haven’t already noticed, not much of the original rifle remains.  Apparently, the previous owner of this firearm wasn’t fond of the original iron sights.  So those were probably the first thing that needed to go. Doing this would have been necessary in order to make room for the ridiculously high-rise scope.  

Moving onto the barrel, things get even more confusing. Someone obviously had time to port the barrel on this rifle but decided to add an obnoxiously large front sight – despite the absence of a rear sight. It even looks like they painted over the fiber optic insert. Maybe some uncertainty remained about obliterating the iron sights altogether…

The left-hand side of the gun shows us why removing the rear sight was so important.  There simply would have been no way to mount as far back as the builder intended.

Still, the off pattern screw holes don’t inspire confidence in the mount.  And it’s doubtful that the scope would be able to hold a proper zero.

If there’s one thing I can say for certain, it’s that the owner of this rifle was desperate to demonstrate its accuracy in the field.  It would take a brave soul to spend the money to find out. It does certainly appear that every homebrew attempt was made. Maybe this budget rifle build is actually a sweet shooter. I certainly hope so, because it’s far from being a museum piece.

So what do you think? Is this Rattlecan Tactical M1917 Enfield a Hot Gat or some backyard redneck Fudd Crap? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to cast your vote and let us know if this sporterized M1917 Enfield is Hot Gat or Fudd Crap: