Rifleman Review: Smith & Wesson Model 1854

In 2024, Smith & Wesson came swinging out of the gate with an all-new lever-action rifle that paid homage to the company's first product line, the Volcanic repeaters of the 1850s. The new Model 1854, though, is quite a modern lever-action rifle, and it is loaded with features that check all the boxes for modern enthusiasts. Watch our "American Rifleman Television" Rifleman Review segment above to see the details.

"Well, I think we were all surprised when recently Smith & Wesson announced its Model 1854 lever-action carbine," American Rifleman Editor-in-Chief Brian Sheetz said. "Now, if you know your Smith & Wesson history, you know that the company started with the lever-action Volcanic long and short arms. Fast-forward all these years, and Smith has decided to get into the very competitive, enhanced lever-action market. And the Model 1854 is an example of a modern lever-action that has been imbued with a lot of performance features."

Notably, the Smith & Wesson Model 1854 seen here is crafted from 416 stainless steel and features polymer furniture and M-Lok accessory attachment points on the fore-end. The rifle is also outfitted with a Picatinny rail for mounting optics, and the exposed hammer spur can be paired with a spur extension to allow for easy access even with a riflescope atop the receiver. Sights are provided by XS and consist of an aperture rear and a gold bead front, and the rifle is threaded at the muzzle for suppressor use. The design of its under-barrel magazine tube also differs from other options on the market.

"Unlike some other designs today, there's not a provision to load the tube, as do some rimfire lever-actions from the past," Sheetz said. "The point of that is for safe unloading so that cartridges don't have to be worked through the action in order to clear the gun, so that was an approach that Smith took that's a little bit different than some of its competitors today."

As of mid-2025, Smith & Wesson now offers several options in its Model 1854 line, including the Stealth Hunter, as well as a traditionally styled variant with walnut furniture and a black metal finish. Chamberings include .44 Magnum, .357 Magnum, .45 Colt and .45-70 Gov't.

 "Whether you go high-grade or go with this initial offering in stainless and synthetic, the 1854 has a smooth action, it seems to be a gun that works well, and that Smith seems to have worked all the bugs out of and come up with a really nice working gun and accurate gun out of the box," Sheetz said. "Kudos to a company for going back to their roots 170 years later and hitting it out of the park."

Smith & Wesson Model 1854 Specifications
Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson
Action Type: lever-action, centerfire, repeating rifle
Chambering: .44 Mag. (.44 Spl.)
Receiver: forged 416 stainless steel
Barrel: 19.25" 410 stainless steel; 11/16x24 TPI muzzle
Rifling: eight grooves; 1:20" RH twist
Magazine: nine-round detachable tube
Sights: XS; adjustable ghost-ring aperture rear, gold bead front
Stock: synthetic with QD studs and M-Lok equipped fore-end
Trigger: single-stage, adjustable; 4-lb., 6-oz. pull
Overall Length: 36"
Weight: 6 lbs., 13 ozs.
Accessories: owner's manual, thread protector, reversible hammer spur extension, lock
MSRP: $1,399

To watch complete segments of past episodes of American Rifleman TV, go to americanrifleman.org/videos/artv. For all-new episodes of ARTV, tune in Wednesday nights to Outdoor Channel 8:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. EST.