Smith & Wesson Model 1854 Stealth Hunter: Review

Bar none, my favorite criticism of today’s lever guns is that they’re “being turned into AR-15s.” My response is always, “So what if they are?” Who said lever actions were supposed to be clunky and tough to integrate with gear? After all, even those who wielded the originals sought ways to make them lighter and more utilitarian.

When Smith & Wesson introduced its 1854 lever action, it offered one version with traditional wooden furniture alongside another with a polymer fore-end and stock. Of the pair, the latter’s sales surprised the company the most, so without hesitation S&W pressed on in that direction to create the 1854 Stealth Hunter.

The first aspect of the new rifle likely to catch your eye is the 10.5-inch fore-end. Constructed of aluminum, it features 15 M-Lok slots to attach slings, lights or other accessories—enabling it to be configured for medium game hunting, target work or self-defense. The fore-end also incorporates an integral sling stud that pairs with one in the rear for effortless carry in the woods, on the range or inside your home.

Sliding within the fore-end is the S&W 1854 series signature magazine tube. Most lever actions either permanently affix the mag tube or utilize a tube-within-a-tube design to make it removable. Smith’s is removable, but instead of locking into an outer housing, it locks into a ring dovetailed into the underside of the barrel.

Safe Ammo Management

This makes it removable for unloading while offering a clear view of the areas that ammunition would typically occupy. This is by far the safest ammo management system for a lever gun, with the only downside being that you must load the gun from the side gate.

Built to be compact, the Stealth sports a carbine-length 16.3-inch barrel that is finished with caliber-appropriate threading and fitted with a thread cap. Because my sample was in .357 Mag., it was cut with 5/8x24 threads, and it’s also available in .44 Rem. Mag. and .45 Colt. Although girthy, the firearm still retains a reasonable weight of roughly 6.5 pounds, depending on chambering.

As with most lever guns, there aren’t many controls to deal with on the 1854, although it does wear a crossbolt safety. Those who have experience with other brands will be happy to find it also has a half-cock safety, giving you a few ways to carry the gun loaded in the field.

Unique to the Stealth Hunter series is the straightened, flattened trigger. Contoured with a hook toward the bottom, it cradles your finger during depression and matches the interior lines of the lever loop, acting as an overtravel stop when it breaks. Said lever loop is enlarged to accommodate gloved hands.

Iron Sights or Scope?

Like most lever guns, the Stealth Hunter includes well-appointed iron sights, making it ready to fire right out of the box. They include an enlarged, adjustable rear ghost ring that pairs with a combo tritium/fiber optic front sight for low-light visibility. The former is built into a 10.5-inch Picatinny rail to make adding an optic nearly effortless.

For my testing, I opted to add a Burris Signature HD riflescope to the package for a refined sight picture. Arguably, 3-15X magnification might be a little much for this platform, but I erred on the side of zoom to help display the gun’s full accuracy potential.

Ammo included Hornady’s LeverEvolution—which was developed specifically for lever actions—Federal’s Swift A-Frame load and Armscor’s affordable target ammo.

Shooting a .357 Mag. long gun from a bench is always a pleasurable experience, as the recoil is minimal. The Stealth Hunter was no different, and inaugural groups were outstanding. The trigger broke without much creep but did exhibit a fair amount of take-up and slack. As designed, it stopped dead in its tracks when the hammer dropped, which contributed to the good accuracy results.

Practical Field Testing

Stepping away from the bench, I took a walk around the woods on the property, where there are more than a dozen Caldwell AR-500 animal targets to plink at. Although made for handgun distances, the .357 Magnum is plenty flat shooting for woodland settings, and most shots didn’t require any holdover. Follow-ups were swift, and although brand new, the action felt as if it had been polished through use by the generation before me.

Smith & Wesson’s 1854 Stealth Hunter made quite the splash this year, and only continued to impress when I got it on the range. Although it’s refined in appearance, make no mistake: This is a no-nonsense carbine built for work. But it’s also down for a little play when time allows.

The S&W 1854 may not be identical to your grandfather’s lever action, but it will certainly fill the same roles that his did, while being more ready to accept today’s peripheral equipment like lights and red dots. Besides, it’s just cool looking, and don’t think for a second that our forefathers didn’t add a few guns to their cabinets based on that attribute alone.

Smith & Wesson Model 1854 Stealth hunter Specs

• Type: lever-action centerfire
• Capacity: 8+1, tubular magazine
• Barrel: 16.3 in., 1:14 twist; threaded 5/8x24 w/thread protector
• Overall Length: 33.3 in.
• Weight: 6.5 lb.
• Construction: Armornite finished steel frame; anodized aluminum fore-end w/M-Lok slots
• Stock: black polymer
• Trigger: single-stage; 4.8 lb. pull (measured)
• Sights: XS Sights adjustable ghost ring rear; HiViz fixed front fiber optic/tritium post; Picatinny optics rail
• Safety: 2-position crossbolt
• Price: $1,399
• Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson, smith-wesson.com

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