TFB Review: Smith & Wesson 1854 Stealth Hunter .357 Magnum

In the past, I’ve written about how the MP5 started it all for me in 1990, seeing Charlie Sheen and the boys rescue hostages, lay waste to bad guys, and likely end up with the girl. If you don’t get the reference, then congratulations, you’re not old, like me. But let us not diminish another childhood LARP near and dear to all: The Cowboy. Without posting photos of myself dressed up as a kid ready to move the herd, take my word that it’s a real thing. That being said, cowboy work is serious business, and the backyard is an untapped frontier full of dangers that may require more authority than the caps in my toy six-shooter would provide. By the time I was old enough, the Winchester 1873 was the apple of my eye, and I spent formative years with my Model 94 chambered in 30-30. It wasn’t until recently, however, that I recognized how much more could be done with a lever action, and that both my tactical and cowboy worlds could be forced into a collision the likes of which my credit card might deny. But when all hope seemed lost, the problem solvers at Smith & Wesson stepped up with a factory solution that floats like a butterfly without stinging at the bank, the 1854 Stealth Hunter series of rifles.

What’s New?

When Smith & Wesson dropped the .357 Magnum version of the 1854 Stealth Hunter earlier in 2025, I knew I had to get my hands on one. This rifle avoids the ostentatious aesthetics of modernized lever actions while offering up all of the practical benefits in a subdued design that respects classic lines while opening the platform up to modern accoutrement. The entire rifle is finished in black, including the stainless steel frame and 410 stainless steel 16.3” barrel with 1:14" RH twist rate. Speaking of the barrel, the 1854 Stealth Hunter .357 comes threaded in 5/8 x 24 with a thread protector from the factory, kicking off modernization with the ability to attach a silencer. More on this later. The barrel also features a green HIVIZ H3 front sight to line up with an XS Sights adjustable rear ghost ring.

Below the barrel, you’ll find a sleek, thin-profile aluminum handguard, also finished in black, featuring fifteen M-LOK slots spread evenly at three, six, and nine o’clock. The handguard provides plenty of space to mount lights, lasers, or any other type of grip or accessory you may want to run. I should mention that the rail feels solid, like holding zero solid if that’s your thing. I also found that additional vents in the handguard performed as intended, allowing prolonged shooting without excessive heat buildup while providing a comfortable and ergonomic grip without any sharp angles or edges. Lastly, the handguard includes a built-in sling swivel point up front, with a corresponding swivel point on the bottom of the stock.

The black synthetic stock is pretty straightforward, keeping to those classic lines we love while offering the shooter a cushy rubber buttpad at the rear and nicely textured grip panels. The stock feels solid to me as well, and my overall first impression is that of a well put-together firearm. Other highlights include a serrated hammer, cross bolt safety, and a very nice flat face trigger with just a tiny bit of takeup before hitting the wall and breaking crisply at what feels to be around 5 pounds. The Smith & Wesson 1854 Stealth Hunter also includes a Picatinny top rail that extends well beyond the receiver, capable of accepting anything from a small red dot to a larger traditional scope, for those who want to take the rifle hunting and prefer a magnified optic.

Why .357 Magnum?

.357 Magnum is pleasant to shoot out of a rifle, and the 1854 Stealth Hunter is no exception to that rule. In fact, I found the recoil impulse even smoother than I had imagined. More so, ammunition options are plentiful, not only because .357 is a common cartridge, but because the 1854 Stealth Hunter, like most firearms chambered in .357, will also shoot .38 SPL. The bonus here is not only ammo compatibility, but the ability to select a less potent and less expensive round for plinking and perhaps training a new shooter.

.357 also happened to be on tap already at home, with our Smith & Wesson   Model 686 Plus Deluxe already pulling bedside duty. A lever action companion just made sense. The 1854 Stealth Hunter features an eight-round capacity removable magazine tube that makes it easier to unload and clear the rifle if you’re uncomfortable cycling rounds out manually. Additionally, these pistol caliber lever actions tend to be more difficult to load; however, I didn’t find that to be the case with my Smith & Wesson 1854, as the loading gate provided just enough tension without being too stiff to work with.

Why a lever action?

Because America, okay? Honestly, I like them. I always have. Lever actions are a lot of fun. Consider this also if you live in a ban state. A tactical lever action could be a great home defense alternative to some perverse abomination of a semi-automatic rifle you’re left with after meeting compliance standards. The Smith & Wesson 1854 Stealth Hunter leaves a lot of useful configurations on the table, from mild to wild. Before settling on my more humble needs for the rifle, I decided to play tactical dress up, just to give you an idea.

For this Review…

For the review, however, I kept things simpler, adding a   Riton 1 Tactix ARD 2 red dot up top and a   GSL Technology Stealth suppressor in front. Here’s another reason to own a tactical lever action like the 1854 Stealth Hunter. They suppress very well, considering there are no moving parts in the action at the time of the shot, leaving all that hot gas nowhere else to go than into the suppressor, where it will expand, cool, and quiet down.

The GSL Technology Stealth handled the varying ammunition excellently, keeping noise levels down enough to allow me to take a listen without my hearing protection. Even supersonic rounds were reduced to an audible report that didn’t ring my ears, but please understand that you should always wear hearing protection when shooting, especially when shooting supersonic ammunition. The Stealth was so at home and made the day such a pleasure that I think it has found a permanent place on my Smith & Wesson 1854.

On the Range…

For function, velocity, and accuracy testing, I had a number of loads available for this review. Since I was shooting unmagnified, I set up to take 5-shot groups at targets 25 yards away using a few shooting bags to stabilize my position.   Black Hills and   HOP Munitions provided ammunition for this review, and I had a little bit of Fiocchi and Hornady .38 SPL to compare.

Starting off with the HOP 158gr Semi-Wad Cutter Hollow Point, I wanted to note that while it is rated for 1030 fps, these tests are often taken using a revolver with a considerably shorter barrel than our 16.3” rifle. That being said, the increase in velocity up to 1276.7 provides a little more spice while taking us over the speed of sound. Still, the GSL Stealth took the edge off enough for a pleasant experience. I was just getting warmed up and felt like I could have shot tighter groups here, but such was life on this day, and with my experience, I can confidently say the 1854 Stealth Hunter paired with HOP Munitions is easily better than I.

Black Hills 158gr was an interesting one for me. The 158gr CNL, part of the company’s Authentic Cowboy Action series, is rated for 800 fps through a 4” test barrel. Through our rifle barrel, however, velocities pushed us right up to the ragged edge of the sound barrier, but just below with an average of 1118.3 fps. I know I’m supposed to want the big terminal energy numbers here, but if you ever have to shoot indoors, need to be super quiet, or love a peaceful day on the range, this is your setup right here. I was able to get in a 5-shot group here of .75” as well. The combination of the static action, Black Hills subsonic ammunition, and GSL Technology Stealth suppressor pushed me over the edge on the 1854 Stealth Hunter. I loved this setup.

Takeaways…

First off, the Smith & Wesson 1854 Stealth Hunter performed well in every test and with all ammunition. I didn't experience any hangups that I didn't believe to be my fault. Let me explain. Similar to a shotgun, you must be mindful not to short-stroke a lever action rifle. Luckily, the 1854 has a very smooth and consistent action, making it faster and easier to develop a rhythm. In fact, by the end of the day, I felt I could dump the tube in under three seconds. I didn't time it, but I was getting pretty quick. Aside from two instances in which I got a little ahead of myself and short-stroked it, the rifle fed and ejected without incident.

Another thing to note is to pay attention to advertised velocities and chronograph your ammunition when possible to obtain meaningful data regarding ballistics and sound performance. What you may think is subsonic on the shelf may not be as quiet out of a rifle-length barrel. Additionally, if you decide to use a magnified optic, or something with a BDC reticle, it will help to know your trajectory based on data that is accurate to this specific setup.

Lastly, .357 Magnum is no slouch, but it’s no slouch on methamphetamine out of a rifle. It is a very handy round for home and personal defense, and it is even more formidable out of the Smith & Wesson 1854 Stealth Hunter. If you have a .357 wheel gun already, buy this right now. If you don’t have one, you can get it at the same time you purchase your 1854 Stealth Hunter. First-world solutions for first-world problems. It looks like I have a bedside match made in heaven.

Final Thoughts…

So what’s this going to cost me? Good question. The Smith & Wesson 1854 Stealth Hunter has an MSRP of $1399.00, which isn’t cheap, but then again, nothing feels cheap about this rifle. Keep in mind that if your taste happens to align better with a .44 Magnum or .45 Colt, Smith & Wesson offers the 1854 Stealth Hunter in those calibers at the same MSRP. Another way to achieve all the features found on the 1854 Stealth Hunter would be to buy a complete custom shop rifle or have your own lever gun worked over, but these options will typically cost a ton more, and there’s just something about a factory rifle, in my opinion, of course. 

The Smith & Wesson 1854 Stealth Hunter outperformed my already high expectations, and it was a pleasure to shoot. Now I wish I had taken it out with a magnified optic to see how much room there was to improve. I really appreciated the smooth mechanics and size of the lever, and a suppressed .357 sings to me. No big surprise here, the 1854 Stealth Hunter is a keeper. This is the most fun I’ve had since those backyard excursions to the train station.