I'm not seeing many takers on this here thread.

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Live long and prosper

High price + low looks.=I will stick to my Winchester/Miroku levers

I keep looking at this rifle and for some reason I just don't like the looks of it, and then I realized why. It has a stainless steel frame but uses black screws instead of stainless screws that match the color of the frame.
Small thing, I know, but it does make a difference.

As far as the polymer stock, I'm not a big fan, but if it's going to be used in extreme outdoor conditions, that's better than a pretty wood stock.

All in all, it seems to be a well thought out new model. Let's see how it goes.

What an insane upsell.

Got an email from S&W this morning touting their new rifle.

Below is copied from that email.
___________________________________________________

RECIEVER

In-house forged 416 Stainless Steel.
Side-load and eject.
_____________________________________________________
Folks, if your multi-million dollar company can't spell 'receiver' correctly on promotional materials, can you trust the QC elsewhere?

I, as well, am surprised about this announcement. Kudos for Smith actually doing something different but I really can't see this going anywhere. But, as has already been said, maybe I'm not up to date on the demand for levers (tactical or otherwise) either, apparently...

Why 1854? According to their own website, the company started in 1852.

Looking on Grabagun.com the price is in line with Winchester, Marlin, and Henry.

I wouldn't buy it because John Wayne didn't have a rail on his lever gun.

I am disappointed because he didn't say if you can use the iron sights with the optical item off, as set up, or do you have to remove the picatinny rail??

This is why I want to put a scope on my Henry but hate the rail being there.

There seems to be a market among a younger demographic for new styled but retro action guns. Look at the newer model introductions, especially by the custom shop. They look like toolroom prototypes to me, with the final smoothing finishing cuts eliminated. This rifle seem to me in that same vein. Unappealing to the experienced who 'know better', but probably have enough 'sizzle' to make a sale when a newer shooter gets handed one off the store rack. If this is what it takes for S&W to keep surviving, so be it. But agree with almost all the above comments. Something tells me they are trying to exploit a (temporary) vacuum in the market as Ruger gets their Marlin product line expanded to the market.

All I know is that type of rifle, to me, is for
when you encounter harsh weather.
I like that concept, but this S&W lever
I would not go out of my way to buy.

The only Lever Rifle I’m interested in is the
Marlin-Ruger SBL 45-70 Govt.

With that said, I’m out, S&W isn’t getting
my support for this product.

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SD social distanc'n since 1889

Yea, but Stumpy would have used a 2.5x scope on his if they made one back then.
Said the half blind old guy. LOL.
I don't think I be getting one, but I hope it works out for S&W.

Made it through about 6 minutes of video before I had to turn it off. Talks like we are in kindergarten. I made it through where he talks about the safety making the gun safe, because that is what safety's do, but once he used the moronic term "bang switch", is when I had to call it quits. Lastly, he said he chose the all weather version "because I live in Iowa"....yep, I hear Iowa has worse conditions than Alaska, especially in winter time......

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Have Canon, Will Travel

Probably a nice enough gun. But why would anyone choose this over the Marlin? It's as if some big wheel decided they had to beat Ruger at their own game. Not gonna happen, imho. They should have just introduced a clone of the Ruger 96 lever.

For those that want this gun in a .500 or .460 I believe that those run at too high a pressure for that action type

Bighorn seems to make 'em work ok. I don't have the scratch for one of their rifles, and they're too pretty for the field, but they definitely shoot.

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Psalm 27:2

I'll buy one.

I have been looking for a .44 lever gun for a while. The price is more than I want to spend so I'll work and extra day this week.

I really want the fancy one with the nice wood and blued barrel. They are only making 1854 of them so I am sure they will sell out immediately. Had I know about it sooner, I would have jumped on that list for sure.

I have shotguns with wood of that quality, however every one of them features 26 LPI hand cut checkering. IMO S&W did a bit of a face plant on failing to have these stocks and forearms checkered.

Note below is a pic of the stock for my 20 gauge Beretta. I'm rather proud of that job, it's the first time I've ever converted a fixed stock into an adjustable comb stock and I did a bang up job on it.

I saw one of the new Marlin 1895 rifles at a local gun shop today; a blue finish with gorgeous wood. Marlin, with the help of Ruger is alive and well. If I was younger and still hunting, I would go buy that jewel tomorrow.

Why would the advertising idiots at S &W list the weight as 108.8 ounces???

Everybody else shows gun weights in pounds and ounces so potential customers don’t have to do the math.

I made the comment earlier about looking like a Marlin but the more I look at it, got me thinking. Wasn’t there a Mossberg lever gun some years ago that this resembles more? Guess I need to research that a bit. More importantly, this is all Smith has for this years’ SHOT? Thats the most disappointing thing.

Only plastic stocked gun I own is an AR..........I Intend to keep it that way.
Iffen they come with a traditional Lever gun in more calibers I might consider adding one to the pile.

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S&W Accumulator

Mossberg's mdl 464 lever gun was patterned after Winchester's 1894. With one exception......It had a solid bridge over the rear of the receiver.........No longer listed in their catalog. Only chambered in 30-30.

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S&W Accumulator

Why is that scope mounted so high? No cheek weld for that.

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S&W Accumulator

These guns aren’t aimed at the general demographic found here.

They are going to sell every one they feel like making.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

I also live in Iowa and while I wouldn't say we get worse winter conditions than inland Alaska, we have a much wider variation per year. Winters that get into the -30s with wind chill and summers that get above 100 are common. "All weather" is appropriate for Iowa.

My son bought one of those. Not a bad lever action, it shot well enough and "looked the part" (IMO of course) better than some others. Pretty sure he still has it.

On second glance, I like the aperture rear sight. but on the other hand I wonder why they didn't offer a 30-30 chambering as well.

Bottom line - it costs too much (for a cheapskate like me) and I wonder if they will turn a profit on these rifles. Hope they do and we will just have to wait and see.

Is it just me, or does anyone else think that the lever looks... unfinished? Like they cut the flash off of a forging and forgot to complete the machining on it? Or that it was cut out of a piece of 3/8" steel plate and left as is? Seems insanely beefy. And you'd think on the wood/blue version it would have the same polished finish as the receiver. (Plus, I don't really care for oversized loops in the first place.)

I see this going down like a Value Jet in the Everglades

I've been wondering about the special edition S&W 1854. Everyone has been calling it a blued finish. Bluing isn't done on stainless steel.

In reading the information on the S&W website, it states that the special edition has a gloss black finish, or a PVD finish. At least that clarifies that. For $3500 a DLC coating would have been nice.

Beautiful gun, but $3500?

https://www.smith-wesson.com/product...ifle-44-magnum

I also find it strange that the introduction was not in the 45 L Colt, 460 chamber. And adding $ 2200+ to dump the plastic for a piece of walnut. The gun industry has been interesting to watch over my 60+ years of interest in firearms, as a lot of "new releases" over the years have disappeared from knowledge except by use of google search engine. We will see about this one, but I also think the timing is off and the price, chamber options are off. And plastic and torx screws are a huge tune off for my old taste, which was created many decades ago in a desire to have a dark, deep blued gun with nice patterns of walnut to catch ones eye. The shot show is never boring as the bean counters try to obtain my funds.

There is a gun show I go to every year. One dealer alway has a large display of Both Japanese Winchester & Italian versions of 1886's, 66's, 92's, ect. Some high grade Henry's as well. All are very nicely finished and most have beautiful figured wood. They seem to run between $1500 and $2000.

I find the blued, fancy walnut version of this rifle visually appealing, at $1800... Not at what they are asking.

And I think a satin finished SS with straight grained walnut chambered in .460 and .500 S&W priced at maybe under $1500 would have been much more of a hit?

Larry

Not even then. Plastic stock and a stupid "rail". Good grief. People who want a rail and plastic stock, don't want a lever gun and people who want a lever gun, don't want a rail and plastic stock.

Once again, their sights are way off target. Maybe their market research barrel is canted.

Edit: Like a train wreck, I had to go look again - M-Lok slots?? I guess I'll be able to add that blender I've always wanted on my rifle. I repeat, Good grief.

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Just Say No - To Social Media

Saw a photo of the 1854 “Deluxe” or fancy version. It would have been great marketing to make them $1854 MSRP but oh well.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

I wish the resources that were put into bringing this rifle to market had been spent on a Bodyguard Plus.

Not at all practical, but I'd rather have this S&W 1854: Cody Firearms Museum: 1854 Smith & Wesson Repeating Rifle (Serial Number 8) - The Truth About Guns

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SWCA #590
"Colligo ergo sum"

I knew it was going to get weird when I saw my first tactical shotgun with an AR grip and a rail.

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That's just somebody talkin.

I find it funny, because I have a thing for Marlin 1894s with shorter barrels paired with N frame Smiths for woods carry. I guess I need to start over.

Lot's of people in the USA & Canada will buy it for bear protection, it's very durable with it's stainless construction, and the mounts for a flashlight without making it look like some "tac-a-cool" abomination is a great idea.

Legal in places like NYC, California, and Canada.

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Captain Dave Funk

I bet they had a big meeting of engineers and management with chart pads and big markers and they listed all the pros and cons and tore of big sheets of the chart pads and taped them all over the walls in the room and had a coffe break with donuts and then did the pros and cons of how much each option cost and then had cold cuts for lunch all paid by S&W. Then they arranged the big pads on the wall by subject and discussed everything until they finally arrived at 44 MAG. All this after they had the purpose of the meeting and the ground rules all on the chart pad first thing, I almost forgot that. It’s been a long time since I had to sit thru something like this or maybe that is the way it was done back in the 90’s.

Jee, I just thought they were all Elmer Kieth fans.

They may be, my post was just a little humor that maybe only some of the older guys that have experienced those kind of meetings would appreciate. I forgot about setting up the meeting room there has to be a pad and pens and pencils and a bottle,of water for everybody and if it’s really a big deal then a pocket protector for everybody with a picture of the rifle and 2024 on it. You also have to have a scribe to write everything on the chart pads.

A 460/500 S&W Magnum Levergun would be great,
says Lucas the Rifleman.
With Big Horns at $5K or thereabouts, one for 1.5k or less,
would be nice.
A 16" barrel and a longer one, to maximize the caliber's
full potential.
Straight traditional stock with crescent shaped butt
gets my vote.
Synthetic, or sold with no butt/forearm works for some.
Torx or Hex screws are great until they strip.
Straight slotted deep is more better.
Drilled/tapped for scope mounts.
Modern sights, no Buckhorns.
Saddle ring of course.

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Have Fun/Stay Safe

I would take a 460 mag with an 18-20" barrel in the 1k range. Kinda funny that some people here are griping about the plastic stock then fondle their plastic M&P before going to the range. Plastic gives me no heartburn. Neither does the rail. Just confounded that they did the 44mag first.

So S&W built themselves a Marlin lever gun. Not my thing.
I'm a Winchester guy.

I got to fondle these at Shot Show in Tuesday. My initial thought was that it looked like a Marlin. The metal pieces seemed nicely fit with no slop at all. On the blued on, the forearm had a little giggle to it. It caught me off guard and didn't feel right when I worked the lever. The blue was nice, but it doesn't look like the old S&W blue.

As an aside, it seems like S&W isn't even trying with revolvers any more. They had one of the largest booths at the show, and a ton of pistols. I think I counted 6 revolvers. A 29 behind glass, a governor, 2 stainless and 2 blued for people to handle. The two blue ones - a 29 and a 36 - had turn lines on the barrels that were close to 1/8 inch wide. I'm guessing they've been using the same revolvers on their booth for the last several years, with all the wear you would expect. I would swear they are the same guns I played with at the Harrisburg Outdoor Show for the past few years.

That's probably because pistols are selling 10 to 1 to revolvers. Just not the big market these days.

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Live long and prosper

.460 or .500 would have been a lot more interesting. .44 Magnum out of a rifle isn't the death ray that some would assume. I suppose if you're stuck in a straight wall state it's a better option. I don't, but have a Ruger American in .450 Bushmaster that's far less expensive, is considerably lighter, and hits much harder. I'd take a BLR in that or .358 before considering the S&W.

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Psalm 27:2