Smith & Wesson Model 1854 Stealth Hunter: Full Review

By Tom Beckstrand

Smith & Wesson shocked many rifle nerds when it trotted out the Model 1854 lever-action rifle for the April 2024 issue of Guns & Ammo. It is a handy gun with all the features most riflemen look for: A short threaded barrel, optics-mounting options, great sights, and an excellent trigger. However, the feature that stood out the most to me — and that gets almost no discussion — is the receiver design. Smith & Wesson packed all of the strength of the Marlin 1895/336 into an action slightly smaller than the Marlin 1894. No small lever-action receiver is better-suited for hot-rodding than the S&W Model 1854.

The Model 1854 features a tombstone-style bolt face with extended extractor and slot on the opposite side to allow for the ejector. The bottom is ramped for reliable feeding from the lifter. (Photo by Mark Fingar)

Tiny, But Mighty.

Back in the day when leverguns were new, the carbine concept was developed alongside advancements in ammunition. One goal was to accommodate new “smokeless” powder cartridges that operate at much higher pressures to make higher velocities. The design of the Model 1854 traces back to Marlin’s Model 1889. It was the first side-eject lever-action rifle, and it fit traditional rifle cartridges of the day. It also had a square bolt with a corresponding cut into the side of the receiver. The 1889 begat the 1893, with a slightly longer receiver, a stronger bolt and a two-piece firing pin that prevented out-of-battery fire. The 1893 then begat the 1894, it being a miniaturized 1893 to feed pistol cartridges.

gaad-smi-1854-sh-1200x800-03 — Cartridges are loaded through the gate beneath the ejection port and fed into the chamber as the lever assembly is racked. The status of the magazine is visible through the loading gate. (Photo by Mark Fingar)

Marlin continued to improve the 1893 to accommodate higher pressure rifle cartridges, making slight changes in design before releasing the Model 1936, then the Model 36, and the Model 336 that I grew up with. The Model 336 was Marlin’s most advanced and strongest lever-action produced. It was easily recognizable by its round bolt and enclosed receiver, other than the ejection port and loading gate. This history matters because the Model 1854 is much like a miniaturized 336. As far as pistol-caliber lever-action carbines are concerned, the 1854 gets my nod as the strongest.

gaad-smi-1854-sh-1200x800-04 — The machined aluminum forend is well ventilated with M-Lok slots available on each side. The handguard also features a step-down taper near the center for comfortable handling. (Photo by Mark Fingar)

I’ll double-down on the “strongest pistol-caliber levergun” statement by adding that the 1854’s receiver is made using stainless-steel forgings. Combining the round bolt with massive lug engagement at the bolt’s underside with a forged-steel receiver means the 1854 can handle pressure. The highest-pressure cartridge initially offered in the Model 1854 was the .44 Remington Magnum, having a maximum pressure of 36,000 pounds per square inch (psi), so it’s good to that level. Interestingly enough, Hornady conducted extensive high-pressure tests with the Marlin 336 when it developed the .308 Marlin Express (ME) cartridge. G&A’s Dave Emary was Hornady’s head ballistician at the time, and he told me that the 336 could handle pressures up to 47,000 psi before extraction got sticky. It backed the maximum pressure to 46,500 psi for the .308 ME and called it good. I would always encourage readers to abide by loading manuals for safe handloading procedures, but design and material selection of the Model 1854 show promise for those interested in exploring the upper limits of ballistic performance from pistol-caliber lever actions.

gaad-smi-1854-sh-1200x800-05 — The bolt assembly can be accessed by unscrewing a single fastener and removing the forged lever. The steel receiver, lever and small parts are finished in Armornite. (Photo by Mark Fingar)

Two other features of the Model 1854 that I love don’t get much coverage: The two-piece firing pin and the cartridge carrier that isn’t too fussy about cartridge length. The two pieces of the firing pin only align when the locking lug is completely closed and supporting the rear-most piece of the firing pin, like the Marlin’s. It ensures the rifle cannot fire unless the action is closed. As cartridge pressure climbs out of the low 10,000s pounds-per-square-inch (psi) for most factory .45 Colt ammunition, and into the 30,000-pound range (or higher) of factory .44 Magnum ammo, ensuring the action is completely closed before firing becomes a high priority. A partially closed action could allow the case to rupture, blowing gas and debris back to the shooter.

gaad-smi-1854-sh-1200x800-06 — The Model 1854 Stealth Hunter’s barrel is threaded 11/16×24 and protected by a cap. A suppressor can be threaded on such as the .460-caliber Banish 46 V2 used during testing. (Photo by Mark Fingar)

The second aspect of the 1854 receiver that merits discussion is the cartridge carrier. Marlin’s (and now S&W’s carrier) has always been able to accommodate cartridges of various lengths as long as rounds don’t exceed SAAMI maximum overall length (OAL). While less important in rifles chambered for the .45 Colt, such as the Stealth Hunter featured in this review, it is a big deal in rifles chambered in .44 Magnum. Those 1854s can fire .44 Magnum, .44 Special and — theoretically — .44 Russian.

gaad-smi-1854-sh-1200x800-07 — (Photo by Mark Fingar)

Even with the flexibility in cartridge length offered by 1854s chambered in .44 Magnum, I still prefer the new-for-2025 1854 Stealth Hunter chambered in .45 Colt. There are fewer factory offerings in .45 Colt, but any handloader can get more performance out of a .45 Colt than a .44 Magnum. Before anyone gets too worked up, my goal is not to trash the .44 Magnum. It is a fine cartridge that is readily available. It’s just that math and experience prove the .45 Colt can offer handloaders significant performance gains versus the .44. Nowhere are those gains better realized than in a lever-action rifle such as the Model 1854.

gaad-smi-1854-sh-1200x800-08 — (Photo by Mark Fingar)

The .44 Magnum has a diameter of .429 inch compared to the .45 Colt’s .452 inch. The case diameter of the .44 Magnum is .457 inch, compared to the Colt’s .480 inch. When loaded to the same pressure, the .45 Colt will drive a bullet of the same weight much faster than the .44 Magnum. This article doesn’t have enough space available to delve into an argument with detail, but I encourage readers interested in the topic to Google “Ross Seyfried .45 Colt” and start reading. Seyfried is a Guns & Ammo alumnus who ran this topic to ground decades ago. (Just to whet your appetite, he was killing Cape Buffalo with a .45 Colt at a time when parachute pants were in style.)

gaad-smi-1854-sh-1200x800-09 — The magazine tube can be removed from the front by rotating the knurled knob counter-clockwise and pulling it out the front. This means that users don’t have to cycle and load the chamber to unload. (Photo by Mark Fingar)

Good Manners

Spending time at the range with the new Stealth Hunter showed the little carbine has excellent manners. Aluminum forends are popular on lever guns because they accept accessories that were once problematic to attach: Cartridge holders, bipods and forend lights such as the SureFire Turbo Scout Pro that I use are now feasible on a lever-gun’s forend. However, most of these aluminum handguards are “squarish” extrusions that feel clunky and more cumbersome than I’d prefer. The Stealth Hunter’s handguard is radiused so that it sits comfortably in the hand and becomes slenderer towards the muzzle. It feels like a forend instead of a block of perforated aluminum.

gaad-smi-1854-sh-1200x800-10 — The lever locks the action when closed, and prevents it from firing when unlocked. The trigger face is flat with a subtle hook. (Photo by Mark Fingar)

Lever-actions rifles are not equal in terms of maintenance. Here, the Model 1854 shines. Remove the screw holding the lever in place, and the lever pulls out the bottom of the receiver. Hold the hammer down and the bolt slides out the back of the receiver allowing a straight shot down the bore with a cleaning rod. Use some needle-nose pliers to lift the ejector out through the ejection port, if desired. This is as far as routine maintenance should require. Occasional detailed maintenance is also a breeze. Remove one screw to get the stock off, and the hammer spring and clip come out. Removing two more screws allow the receiver’s lower plate to come out with the trigger, and the hammer can be pulled free. One more screw and the locking block and cartridge carrier are removed. The only time I’d take the rifle down this far, though, is if it fell into a river and I wanted to clean out all the sand and moisture. This is as easy as detailed disassembly gets for any lever-action rifle.

gaad-smi-1854-sh-1200x800-11 — Underneath the receiver, behind the action screw, is a small metal tab. Press it forward to engage the magazine cutoff. (Photo by Mark Fingar)

Unusual for the Model 1854, though, is the combination of a loading gate in the side of the receiver along with a removable tubular magazine. The rifle can only be loaded through the gate in the receiver, however, the removeable tube allows the rifle to be unloaded without running ammunition through the action. It’s easy to remove the forend and magazine so that only a barreled receiver remains. There is no nook or cranny of the Model 1854 that is not available for cleaning and inspection when disassembled this far.

Other notable features are the threaded muzzle, Hi-Viz sights and extended Picatinny rail along the top of the receiver. The .357 Magnum version features a muzzle with 5⁄8×24 threads, while the .44 and .45 muzzles are threaded 11⁄16×24. Just about any .45-caliber handgun suppressor can be made to thread on the barrel of G&A’s sample. (We tested it with a new Banish 46-V2.) Above it, the Hi-Viz front sight is a yellow/green fiber optic that does well in bright and low light. At the back is an optic rail with a ghost-ring aperture.

gaad-smi-1854-sh-1200x800-12 — An extended and serrated thumb-lever is included (left). It can be attached to the serrated hammer spur for right- or left-hand use. It helps to manually cock the hammer when a scope is mounted. (Photo by Mark Fingar)

At The Range

Time with the Model 1854 Stealth Hunter proved that this rifle would make an excellent hunting rifle and woods gun. The .45 Colt showed good accuracy when tested for five-shot groups at 100 yards. Recoil of the .45 Colt, no matter the load, was mild. Future range time will include ammunition from Buffalo Bore and Grizzly to see how the +P heavy hard-cast lead bullets fare in the rifle. Stay tuned.

Whomever is calling the shots for lever-action product development at Smith & Wesson deserves a gold star next to their name. S&W knows lever-gun history and it has capitalized on the last 130 years of tradition and evolution, all while adding a dose of the company’s own treatments. Smith & Wesson picked up the lever-action ball and ran downfield with it like we haven’t seen in years. Bravo, and thank you!