Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
At SHOT Show 2024, Smith & Wesson surprised many of us with the – the brand new Smith & Wesson 1854 lever action. We interviewed Connor who provided an exclusive sneak peek at the lever gun.
Addressing the unexpected move, Connor shed light on the company’s history, stating, “Not many people know, but we actually made the first lever action in the world in 1854. Horace Smith and Daniel Weston crafted the Volcanic, predating iconic names like Winchester and Henry. So, in honor of their latest creation known as the 1854, Smith & Wesson payed homage to their original patent from that year.”
Dispelling any notions of antiquated technology, Connor clarified, “We’re not using 1854 tech here; it’s a bit more modern.”
Also with a barrel twist of 1 in 20, a gold bead front sight, and an impressive 19.25-inch barrel, the lever action comes aimed at the outdoorsman. The barrel also features 11/16 x 24 thread for attaching muzzle brakes or suppressors.
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Underneath is a removable magazine tube. This allows customers to quickly unload the firearm without having to work the lever. Additionally, tube holds 9 rounds of .44 Magnum giving the 1854 a carrying capacity of 9+1.
The firearm sports a polymer front end with M-LOK slots for accessory placement consistency. The slots are cut flat to allow effective mounting of whatever you may want, and the rest of the grip panels have textured surfaces to help you maintain a solid grip.
The lever action includes a forged receiver, side load, side eject, and a flat-face trigger with an 8-groove, 1 in 20 twist. The model is also available in .44 Magnum and features a stainless steel finish for durability.
The lever action is not a one-size-fits-all, as there were showcased two variants – one with a polymer stock and the other with a limited edition high-grade walnut stock. The latter, with only 1,854 units available, is set to be a collector’s item.
Both models are ready for suppressors or muzzle brakes, catering to different uses. With an MSRP of $1,279 for the polymer version and $3,499 for the limited edition walnut model, Smith & Wesson offers a classic and modern solution to the lever gun market.
For those eager to get their hands on the 1854, the should be hitting stores soon. Smith & Wesson has already started shipping them out.
Check out GunsAmerica to find one for yourself. Stay tuned as we will eventually get our hands on one to do a full review. Meanwhile, you can find more detailed specifications at smith-wesson.com.
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$3500 for the Walnut model. LOL. What a joke.
I like most of the features of this rifle but I hate a pistol grip style stock on pistol caliber lever action rifles (oddly enough). A straight stock feels better and is more streamlined in appearance. I absolutely hate the magazine system they are using. You have to remove the entire magazine tube to unload and it’s under so much spring pressure it’s liable to fly out of your hands like it did on Sootch00’s YT video. Then there’s the capacity, the goofy magazine forces them to drop capacity to 9+1 instead of the 10+1 that’s normal for a 20″ barrel. It’s only only round but it’s enough in my opinion. I can see buying one to collect since I don’t think they will stay in the lever gun market long but there are better choices for actual usage.
GEE, really? If you have young eyes and no attachment to days gone by, I suppose I can excuse you. If names like Elmer Keith and Skeeter Skelton have no meaning, then I suppose you have a legit miss. Love it. It’s moved into my top 10 of must haves from SHOT 2024. Yeah, 44 mag lever guns are everywhere. But this is a first for S&W. They appear to have done it right too. SWEET! PERHAPS, it could replace my trusty Win 1300 in the corner as my go-to gun in a Texas county where they are unlikely to confiscate self defense firearms after such use. We’ll see. Advantage S&W on this one….
Barack sold alot of guns. But this will make it very very easy to save my money. There is absolutely no temptation here. I don’t know any of your potential customers.