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Smith & Wesson continues to expand their modern lever-action offerings with the introduction of the Model 1854 Stealth Hunter. This latest variant maintains the classic S&W 1854 profile while incorporating several upgrades that push it into the tactical lever gun category. A flat-faced trigger, blacked-out synthetic furniture, extended M-LOK handguard, and top Picatinny rail give this rifle serious potential for both brush hunting and range work. Chambered in .44 Magnum and equipped with a threaded barrel, the Stealth Hunter is quiet, smooth, and a joy to shoot suppressed.
Table of contents
S&W Model 1854 Stealth Hunter Specifications:
- Action: Lever
- Caliber: .44 Magnum
- Capacity: 8
- Optic Ready: Yes
- Threaded Barrel: Yes (11/16×24)
- Width: 1.6 in
- Length: 33.4 in
- Weight: 102.9 oz
- Barrel Length: 16.3 in
- Barrel Material: 410 SS
- Frame: Stainless Steel
- Stock: Black Synthetic
Model 1854 Out of the Box
The Stealth Hunter ships with a pre-installed Picatinny rail, a gun lock, and an owner’s manual. Nothing flashy, but everything you need to get started. I immediately topped this rifle off with a Vortex Defender-ST red dot and was ready to go. This rifle is offered in 357 Magnum, 45 Colt, and 44 Magnum, which I had for this review.
Barrel
This version sports a 16.3″ 410 stainless steel barrel with a 1:20” RH twist and 8-groove rifling. The barrel also features 11/16×24 threads and includes a thread protector. To do this rifle justice, I ran a suppressor for about half of my testing. Like most suppressed lever actions, the Stealth Hunter is incredibly quiet due to the manually operated action. No cycling until you decide it’s time, unlike semi-autos.
I ran this rifle both suppressed and unsuppressed, and it performed flawlessly throughout. The suppressor added some forward weight, but that’s expected and didn’t affect handling significantly. One thing I’ll note: the removable magazine tube is a great addition for unloading, but if you run certain wide suppressor mounts or brakes, they may block tube removal. Not a big deal, just something to be aware of.
Sights on the Model 1854 Stealth Hunter
Sights are another area where the Stealth Hunter sets itself apart. It comes equipped with an XS ghost ring rear and a HIVIZ H3 front sight. The green fiber optic on the front is easy to pick up in both daylight and low light. That said, I opted to mount a Vortex Defender-ST red dot using the top Picatinny rail. The extended rail gives plenty of room for mounting whatever optic suits your shooting style.
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Stock
The black synthetic stock looks the part and feels rugged. It’s sleek, fixed, and includes textured panels in the grip areas. The recoil pad is firm yet cushioned enough to take the edge off heavy .44 Magnum loads. The overall profile is slim, and the stock provides a comfortable cheek weld without excess weight.
There’s no built-in QD point on the stock, which I would have liked to see. However, there is a single sling swivel stud mounted towards the rear.
Handguard
The handguard is one of my favorite features of the Stealth Hunter. It’s aluminum, not polymer like the standard model, and features M-LOK slots at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. The shape is well thought out. Narrow at the front and beefier near the receiver. This not only improves ergonomics but also gives the rifle a distinctive modern aesthetic.
The extended length (10.5″) sets it apart visually and functionally from most lever guns, giving you real estate for lights, bipods, or forward grips. I just wish S&W had included integral QD points. Something I hope to see in future iterations.
Trigger
Smith & Wesson equipped this rifle with a flat-faced trigger, which contributes to its modern appearance and makes for consistent trigger finger placement. It has a light take-up, followed by a clear wall. My test rifle broke just under 4 lbs with a touch of mush at the wall, but it was still crisp enough to deliver solid groups.
The oversized loop lever and enlarged trigger guard made shooting with gloves easy. Manipulations were smooth, and the action cycled well with both light and heavy loads. One thing I found interesting is that the trigger flops around with or without the hammer cocked. S&W let me know this is normal, but it is just not something I am used to.
Model 1854 Stealth Hunter Precision
Most ammo for this review was provided by Ammunitiontogo.com, who carry a broad lineup of Hornady and Armscor loads. Shipping was quick, and everything arrived in good shape. Easy-to-use online website, quick shipping, and competitive prices. Go check them out!
To evaluate accuracy, I shot 3-round groups from 50 yards using a mix of Hornady loads and one Armscor option. Below are my results, along with average velocities measured using a Garmin Xero C1 chronograph:
| Ammunition Type | AVG Velocity (ft/s) | Group Size (MOA) |
| Hornady 200gr MonoFlex | 1632 | 1.94 |
| Hornady 200gr XTP | 1701 | 2.47 |
| Hornady 225gr FTX | 1847 | 3.01 |
| Hornady 240gr XTP | 1856 | 3.54 |
| Hornady 300gr XTP | 1370 | 1.94 |
Best results came from the MonoFlex and 300gr XTP, both printing under 2 MOA. I also shot some 240gr Armscor ammo with group sizes around 6 MOA, but that’s fairly typical for cheap bulk ammo. It’s better suited for plinking or short-range shooting. For a lever gun, I find these groups to be acceptable but not outstanding.
S&W 1854 Stealth Hunter Performance
The Model 1854 Stealth Hunter ran clean from start to finish. Cycling was smooth, the action stayed reliable, and I had zero malfunctions. Even suppressed, there were no feeding or extraction issues. Sound suppression was impressive, especially for a manually cycled platform. This is where lever guns shine. They’re inherently quieter since there’s no bolt slap or gas system noise.
This rifle utilizes nearly all the modern features I could ask for. The MLOK handguard allowed me to mount all my 21st-century accessories, and the threaded barrel allowed me to be a truly stealthy hunter. The handguard held up well, and the rifle feels quite solid, whereas some tactical lever guns don’t have great lockups. For those who want to see this rifle in action, I threw together a short video shooting this rifle and posted it to my Instagram page below:
One hiccup: the loading gate chewed up my fingernail. It’s not impossible to load, but the edges felt a bit sharp, and the rim of each cartridge wanted to catch. I’d love to see this port refined a bit in future versions. However, this is a pretty minor issue to even bring up when everything else ran great throughout all my testing.
READ MORE HERE: Lever Actions: An American Rifle For Hunters
Summary
The Smith & Wesson Model 1854 Stealth Hunter is a strong entry in the tactical lever gun space. It blends nostalgic charm with practical enhancements like a threaded barrel, extended Picatinny rail, aluminum M-LOK handguard, and a flat trigger. All wrapped in a modern blacked-out aesthetic. Shooting it suppressed was a highlight, and its performance was consistent and smooth across multiple loads ranging from 200-300 grains.
Is it perfect? Not quite. The loading port could use some refining, and I wish QD points were integrated into the handguard and stock. But for those wanting a lever gun that feels at home with modern accessories and can sling heavy .44 Magnum rounds with style, this one delivers. With an MSRP of $1399 and a slightly lower street price, this rifle is a compelling option for anyone wanting to run a modernized lever gun.
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Mitchell Graf is a dedicated hunter, competitive shooter, and firearms enthusiast. As a former instructor and president of Oklahoma State’s Practical Shooting Team, he has a strong foundation in marksmanship and competition shooting. These days, he spends as much time as possible chasing pigs and coyotes with night vision and thermal optics.
When he’s not in the field or on the range, Mitchell works as a full-time Mechanical Engineer in the Aerospace and Defense industry and manages a part-time farming operation. Whether he’s behind a rifle, designing parts, or working the land, his drive for precision and performance remains the same.
Experience:
– Mechanical Engineer – Full-time professional in the Aerospace/Defense industry.
– Competitive Shooter & Instructor – Former President and Instructor of Oklahoma State’s Practical Shooting Team.
– Night Vision & Thermal Hunter – Passionate about night time predator and hog hunting.
– Part-Time Farmer – Working to provide for my family, and raise food for this great nation.
I have a Smith & Wesson 1854 the new lever action lineup. I currently run a 44 magnum. I also have a problem with the loading port tire my thumb nail up and the worst part of all after 10 rounds being unloaded through the loading port the finish looks very unprofessional. I feel like they use a cheap primer/paint not happy with the appearance which means everything to me.
The 1854 loading action family I have a 44 magnum and I also have a problem with the loading port not only does it paint your thumb nails. The paint started coming off after 10 loaded through the loading port.? I am rather disappointed they finish should last longer than a day???
That was a nice write up, thank you for putting it out.
You stated that your accuracy with the two best loads were at 2 MOA. I love the 300 grain XTP that you used.
If you were shooting at 50 yards, then it would have been 4 MOA.
The remaining rounds ranged from 5 MOA to 12 MOA according to your data.
That is terrible accuracy, especially with some of the Hornady loads you used.
I have an 8 and a half inch S&W 629 that can get that accuracy.
With the lack of finishing on the loading port, and the cannon grapeshot type of accuracy, there’s no way I would pay 500$ for that rifle, let alone at 1000$ or more.
Sorry, but if that’s the best S&W can offer right now, I would not buy another gun from them.
I have 4 Performance Center revolvers. 3 out the 4 have had to go back to the factory due to problems. My most recent examples from them have been 1 going back for trigger not resetting, terrible lockup, drag lines worse than a 15 year old revolver, and a super heavy and gritty trigger. The single action averaged around 12 lbs, and the double action was too heavy for my gauge to get a reading.
When I got it back, their note stated that they had to replace the crane, yolk, and hands. Let that sink in, that’s a new Performance Center edition, and the rifle you have can’t hit the vitals of a deer at a 75 yards regularly.
I also have a shooting buddy that purchased 2 Performance Center revolvers, and guess what, both of his had to go back right from the start as well. So for anyone not keeping track, that’s 5 out 6 Performance Center editions that went back that I have personal experience with.
The owner of Buffalo Bore also has had problems with some of his recent acquisitions from S&W, and to be fair, 1 issue with a Colt revolver.
Doesn’t seem to be many good gunsmiths left in the Performance Center, or even quality control checks on their products.
I sure hope they can turn it around, I do like their recent releases of the Mountain Guns, and they have started offering models without the internal lock.
My groups were shot at 50 yards, and the group sizes were listed in MOA not inches…. so the best group was with Hornady 300gr XTP which had a 1.015″ group. Also, I shot multiple groups and the table is an average while the picture only shows one group from each type of ammo.
Will it shoot 44 Special?
My question exactly. For an answer I had to go to Google and a better written review:
“Curious about whether the Stealth Hunter would feed and fire .44 Special cartridges (as is safe in .44 Magnum revolvers), I tried some Winchester Cowboy Action ammo loaded with 240-grain cast lead bullets. I was hoping it would work for two reasons. One, it would make a fantastic light practice load. Two, at subsonic speeds it would be wonderfully quiet when shooting suppressed.
Sure enough, the Stealth Hunter fed and fired .44 Special ammo without a hitch. I didn’t shoot that ammo for accuracy, but I did chronograph how fast the bullets exited the muzzle of the 16.3-inch-barreled carbine. At 863 fps, they were mild in kick and in sound. With the suppressor in place, I couldn’t quite hear the firing pin strike, but the report was just a loud “clack” sound.”