Many of you have seen the 4516 thread by BMCM...

We're way beyond Dremel now, Melted & Melonited 4516-1

Bill is a great craftsman and he inspired me to follow in his footsteps, albeit in a more limited fashion. My EDC is a trusty 457. As you all know, the 457 is part of the S&W "economy" line of pistols. If a 4516/4513 and a 457 were ever compared side by side, it is easy to see where the cost savings came from. Compared to the 4513, the 457 slide is very block and angular. No doubt S&W cut costs by reducing machine time along with using plastic components. For instance, the sights and the disconnector are plastic, as is the mag release.

For this project my goal is simple. I want to improve the appearance of the 457 slide and add durability by replacing the disconnector and sights.

Here are pictures of what I have done so far. All comments and suggestions are welcome.

Thanks for looking,
Andrew































Here is a stock 457 for reference:

Looking good so far, I love the melted look, what are you planning for a finish?

I want something very durable, so I am thinking the same melonite finish that Bill did on his 4516, but I am open to suggestions.

Andrew

I like it!!

How bout a nice blue finish!

not mirror polish, but a few steps under.

__________________
if you're gonna be a bear...

I love America. You can get anything you want or need delivered to your door. I ordered some files, emery cloth, and most importantly a 9x12 granite plate.



The plate allowed me make the side and top perfectly flat and smooth. It also made it easier to evenly bevel the transition from the side as it goes up to the top of the slide.

I plan on doing more work on the nose and also to have the left side of the slide laser engraved with Tu Ne Cede Malis.









Andrew

Well, I think I am done with everything that I am going to do with the slide. What do y'all think?









Andrew

Cool project! I like it.

Can I ask where you got the piece of granite? I need on of those too.

Be sure to keep the pictures coming.

Jay

Grizzly.com

I got the 9x12 2 ledge model. It's the perfect size for this kind of work. It's also a great surface for attaching a small suction cup style vise.

Andrew

Really nice so far. One question though, do you think the safety / decocker arm might be a little too slick to operate with the grooves ground away?

__________________
"We deal in lead, friend."

Lookin' good so far. have you thought of doing anything to the rear of the slide? You have a good deal of meat there especially where the slide transitions to the backsight.

Cheers
Bill

Yes, it probably is a little too smooth and slick, but for me, this is not a concern. I don't carry with the safety on and the only time I use the decocker is at the range or when loading a bullet into the chamber before I holster. If I carried with the safety on, I would have left it alone.

Andrew

Bill,

Thanks for the suggestion. I will look at that today and see what I can come up with.

Andrew

I decided to leave the back of the slide mostly alone. I just beveled some sharp edges and made sure the it was polished like the sides. Today I am going to send it off to:

Colorado Gun Writes | custom laser engraving

for the laser engraving and then off to Coal Creek to get finished.



Andrew

Nice job! Thanks for posting the pics.

Look forward to the finished product.

Dave

And for giving the mailman a hernia, no doubt!

Not nearly as expensive as I would have imagined.

I plan on doing more work on the nose and also to have the left side of the slide laser engraved with Tu Ne Cede Malis.

Okay,,,, I will admit that I am apparently the ONLY person on the board who doesn't know Latin... what does it mean?

BTW: I have no idea how you are melting away all that metal, but it looks awesome! My only concern would be how do you know if you have taken off so much metal that the structural integrity may be sacrificed when it comes to absorbing all the energy and recoil from the .45 acp? Some spots look pretty thin!

The 457 slides are big and block, way more so than the 4516 slides. I didn't take off as much material as might appear. Did you have a particular spot where it looks "pretty thin."

Tu Ne Cede Malis -- Do not give in to evil

Andrew

How about "Illegitemi non Carborundum"... "Don't let the *******s wear you down"

__________________
"We deal in lead, friend."

Great work so far fella!!!

Sounds like you've figured out the finish issue, but I was going to offer a matte or bead blast hard chrome as a finish. Hardchrome is nearly indestructable, and has a great lubrocity to it. It would wear great unless you plan on dragging it everywhere you go, and will be protected from rust and moisture in a HUGE way.

__________________
God Bless Our Troops.

Looks good!
I did the same to mine about five years ago, however your melt is more agressive than mine. As far as the finish goes, I did mine in Robar NP3 and it has held up like a champ. Good luck with the final details and keep us posted.
[IMG][/IMG]

I am very pleased with the response from Troy at Colorado Gun Writes. He has been excellent to deal with and turned the work around in less than a week. Here is a picture of the engraving:




Andrew

That's slick! I like that a lot. Kinda wish I had thought of something like that when I was doing mine. How was that applied?

Cheers
Bill

It was done with a laser. The depth is about .005-.006" It should show through nicely even after getting melonited.

Andrew

I just got back all the parts from Coal Creek. Here is a little teaser with more to come later...



Andrew

Wow.. That engraving really pops now with the melonite finish.
I like it, can't wait to see the finished piece.

Cheers
Bill

Well folks, here is the finish product. Praise and criticisms are equally welcome.

Cheers!













Andrew

I know it is the same gun I had in my hands a few months ago. But not the same. A tremendous WORK OF ART. IN a short time. All Praise Great Job.

I hope to see you soon. HAVE A JOYOUS CHEISTMAS. AND MAY YOUR NEW YEAR BE FILLED WITH HAPPENESS.

MR835 IS GONE

I like it!!

Thanks for the kind words Leonard. I need to come see you. Perhaps after the new years.

Merry Christmas to you!!!

Andrew

I had a short range trip yesterday. The gun was running a little rough to start. In the first few magazines I had a couple of failures to return to battery. I think this might have been cause by the texture of the finish on the breech face. As I shot more rounds, the problem went away.

I plan on taking a self defense class in January and will use this gun. The training will allow me to evaluate the new sights plus it will put about 500 rounds through the gun.

Andrew

There is a tiny bit of surface growth with the meloniting process on the order of .0004 or so. Really not significant but may require a little breaking in before she runs 100%. Also if you've not already done so, I'd recommend a fresh set of recoil springs and a quality grease on the frame rails. She looks great Andrew, nicely done.

Cheers
Bill

Very nice, looks good.

I expect a bit of break-in time. Something on the order of when a gun is new. I purchased this gun in basically new condition. I know this because there was zero wear on the front of the frame where it meets the slide. This is the area where the anodizing wear almost instantly after the pistol has been shot a few dozen times. If I continue to have issues during class, I will replace the springs. This gun uses the dual spring set-up and last time I checked, the inner springs were not in stock anywhere.

I use TW25b for lube, based on recommendations from people on this forum. Is there anything better?

Thanks for all the kind words.

Andrew

Springs show in stock both at Midway & Brownells for the inners & outers. I just ordered a few spare sets from Midaway a little while ago. I use TW25 too with no complaints. I'm also known to use Shooter's Choice red grease and when I happen to lose those little syringes (which happens often btw) I fall back on old faithful... My can of Lubriplate 130-A. Along with fresh springs & grease I also make sure to put a dab of grease on the barrel camming surface where it rides on the stop pin and... especially with an alloy frame, grease the barrel unlocking lugs.

Cheers
Bill

That pistol looks fabulous! You are very talented.

I wish I could do something like that but unfortunately all I have on both hands are thumbs.

Nice work!

__________________
Un-Reconstructed Southerner

That's pretty slick. I like it..excellent job. I especially like the black barrel. It makes the gun look more "business" like.

Looks very nice - where do I ship mine to get you to work on it?

Pete

__________________
Don't tread on me

Pete,

I would love to do another project. PM me and we can discuss the details.

Andrew

Well, after waiting 3 months, I finally received the decocker only safety assembly. It was on backorder for 90 days. I plan on doing the modification to the slide myself. I am waiting on a couple of tools that I ordered from McMaster Carr and will post more pictures when I am in process.

Andrew

Success!

Smith and Wesson 457 decocker only mod - YouTube

Andrew, can you tell me if your frame (if alloy) was also melonited and how is it holding up to firing?

any finish coming off the slide rails?

thanks in advance

__________________
if you're gonna be a bear...

Awesome work! Thanks for posting!

The frame is alloy and thus can't be melonited. The melonite process is only applicable to carbon steel and stainless steel parts. I left the frame alone on this gun and it still has the factory ahrd anodizing on it. I have about 200 rounds through the gun now and carry it daily in my CBST holster. I will take the slide off tomorrow and take some pictures to show how it is holding up.

Andrew

thanks for the info Andrew.

no worries, the color match of the frame made me think it was melonited.

take care

__________________
if you're gonna be a bear...

I took the slide off and snapped a couple of pictures.







The melonite is holding up well. The Kydex doesn't seem to effect it much. The leather side of my Cross Breed tends to polish the finish some. You can see some wear on the barrel and at the front of the slide where it meets the frame.

I am also very happy with the sights.

Andrew

Bear in mind the black color is merely a side effect of the meloniting process and while the black may wear off over time, the steel bits will continue to have the full benefit of the process. On my 4516, I'm just starting to see some holster wear highlights. Just a bit on the muzzle end of the slide & frame. She rides with me every day in a jak slide. BTW, nice work fitting the de-cock only lever. Any chance of seeing your work under that left side lever? I've been considering the same thing on one of mine.

Cheers
Bill

Bill,

Let me see what I can do about the pictures. I did everything by hand, which is not ideal. I got a 1/8" endmill bit from McMaster Carr, along with a tiny drill bit. If I had a drill press, it would have been much easier.

I used the attached pictures as a guide for my work.

Andrew

Attached Images

	IMG_6526.jpg (64.8 KB, 121 views)
	DecockOnlyassembly1.jpg (95.8 KB, 118 views)

Pretty impressive work by hand.

Looks great.

Dave

I wanted to give you all another update with respect to the finish. Last week I took the Pistol III course at Range Masters in Memphis. During this course we are required to draw our weapons from the holster and by the end of the 8 hour course, I would say that I drew and holstered several dozen times. All together I went through about 350 rounds of ammo, 250 of which has lead bullets. Due to the ammo shortage I was forced to use whatever was available, and this ammo was made by Tennessee Cartridge. It shot fine and I only experience 2 failures to feed, which I wholly attribute to the ammo.

As you can see, the finish is holding up great. There is still very little wear on the barrel, and the kydex and leather seem to have little effect on the melonite.









This was also my first outing with the XS big dot sights under draw and fire conditions. The sights work are very fast to acquire and once presented on target the eyes naturally gravitate towards the front sight with the rear just lining up naturally. I actually ended up winning the last portion of the course which entailed firing at a knock down target at 3 yards followed by a knock down target at 12 yards.

Andrew

Thanks for the info. Glad to see the finish is holding up. Keep the great work up Andrew.