It started innocently enough...I wanted ONE .45 so I got a Sig 220 to match my 9mm 220. (Didn't want 1911, gave those to my boys a couple of years ago.)

Took it to the range and wow...it shot great.

So I said, "Why not a 3rd Gen S&W to go with my other Smiths?" (Bet ya can't eat just one!)

So a 4566 found its way into the range bag. I like it as much or more than the Sig.

Now want a carry piece in .45 and a fella has a 457 he wants $400 for. Decent shape, some carry wear, good bore and mechanics. (My regular carry gun is Shield 2.0 or Sig 320)

Is 400 a fair price? What are they going for? I only saw 3 sold on gunbroker and $400 seemed in the ballpark...lots for sale but for a lot more.

Also, anyone with experience with them: would love to hear your opinions.

GaryS knows more about these than I do (I'm mostly a stainless steel kind of guy), but I think I remember $300 being about the low end of the asking price range recently and $400 or so being about the top end of the range... locally, that is. All depends on condition, number of magazines, box/no box, etc... the usual suspects.

The 457 is one of the most underated compact 45s out there. Locally they bring $400 to $450. More if LNIB. The stainless version brings the most money.

I use mine daily at my part time job in a local gunstore. Perfect size and weight for a carry gun. Accurate and bet your life reliable. I like mine and have had no issues with it.

If I had to find something I didn't like about it I would say the plastic sights. To avoid paying royalties to Wayne Novak, they placed plastic sights on the gun. At some point I will probably replace the rearsight witha Novak low mount.

$400 is a fair deal for a 457 as you describe. Buy it, shoot it, love it. Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

Buy it! Especially if he has additional magazines.

Rough neighborhood?
I hope you don't have to use it daily, just carry it daily.

I bought a BNIB one last year off the Forum , and I paid a little more than that . I've got a Zander special (part stainless) coming this week . I took mine to the range with my M4566 ,945 ,and 745 . I was surprised how accurate and easy to shoot it was . I would try to talk him down , just because of the wear .

I paid $350 for one about 15 years ago. So $400 is excellent. I let a friend have it (long story) - he says I gave it to him - and since I don't really need it, and we did swap some guns in the past, I shut up. I think I liked it better than my CS-45 because it was just enough bigger to be more comfortable to shoot. Oh, well......

I like mine a lot. I plan to add night sights eventually but the factory set up is still plenty accurate. It is easy to control and I shoot it better than the 4566TSW I once owned. Add a set of Hogue rubber grips and you'll be good to go. Price seems OK, not a steal but fair depending on condition and extras. Buy it, enjoy.

Mega Dittoes.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

My 457 is a great pistol, the only thing I dont like about it is the smooth front strap. Due to that my 4516 gets more carry time than the 457.

I have the two tone model. Paid $500.00. recently added a spur hammer. great gun.
Wish I had a Glock Model 20 10mm instead ( I really don't care for DA/SA, I like the Glock trigger)

Great gun, I to added a spurred hammer and night sights.

I paid $400 out the door for mine in Dec that would easily pass for 95% or better condition wise. Its my nightstand gun. It was an impulse buy when I went to pick up the 909 I had won, which made sense as the last 4 is 2017.

I paid $335 OTD for mine with 2 magazines, and a LH Tex Shoemaker basketweave pancake holster & double mag carrier set. I'd rate it between 90% and 95% with just very minor handling marks (smooth spots) on the matte finish of the slide. Shoots like a dream. I need to get a good RH pancake holster to start carrying it.

Skate board tape will fix that front strap.

I paid $500.00 for my Zander 457 in orig numbers matching box, 2 mags and papers.
Didn't know it was a limited edition till asked about it here.

Too nice to shoot. Looks 99%.

I say buy it, $400 is well within the margin of error.

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Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

The Zander is the two-tone, right?

Yes sir.
I have a thing for two-tone S&W's.
Must be from growing up in the mid 50's seeing all the classy factory paint jobs on the cars.

Great Gun, picked one up 6 months ago. Added an anbi safety and a spur hammer. They will take 4516 Mags also, 7 rounders.

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Be Safe & Shoot Straight

The days of getting a Model 457 for less than $400 are about over.

I have two of them and they have been 100% reliable. About 10 years ago I was looking for an aluminum-framed Colt Commander .45 auto, when I stumbled across the first 457 I had ever seen. I bought it a few days later after doing some "research" (AKA "surfin' the net") and getting paid. Price was $325 IIRC.

I liked it so much I bought the next one I saw. No spur hammer or "mud flaps" (ambidextrous safety) for me, thank you.

I still have them both, and don't plan to sell.

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What is a Zander" ?

A sporting goods store/distributor in southern Illinois.
They had a short run of two-tone 457's made for them.
Flat black slide, "silver" aluminum frame.
That's it jimmyj.

The one I bought shortly after the first of the year was $349.00 plus tax. 1999 production (estimate from the serial number), two magazines. No box or anything else, but it looked like a sock draw gun.

A week or so before that, another one from the same shop with box and three magazines went for the same price.

OTOH, I've seen them at gun shows in fair condition for $500.00+. Gun show prices.

The SCSW opines that Zanders are worth a premium, but in the real world that only seems to be if they are ANIB with all accessories. The Stainless one seem have the highest street prices.

I don't know that I'd go to $500.00 for a stainless one, but I'd certainly go $450.00 for one in good condition. I don't know production numbers for them, but among the Value Line guns in general the black Sharpie finished ones are far more available than the Stainless ones.

Either way, they are a great, under appreciated (that's a good thing) .45ACP semi auto that is good for the range or self defense.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

Yes, I've used grip tape in the past. To get rid of the sandpaper feel of it, I spray a few coats of Plasti Dip aerosol on the grip tape. Gives it a better feel. For stainless steel pistols, I'll use the grey Plasti Dip, matches the stainless better. But I'm not a fan of grip tape and found a better solution..

There's a local Cerakote shop in town that also does laser engraving. I've been having them laser engrave checkering or serrations on the front straps of several of my 1911's. But haven't yet had them do any of my 3rd Gen Smith autos with smooth front straps.

WOW ! I have a "Zander". Finally Jimmy has a "Special Smith".

My 457 is probably my most carried weapon. With that and one extra mags I feel very secure. It is quite accurate, recoil is not bad at all for a .45 ACP of its size, and it conceals well. I might well get another one if it wanders by at the right price. As my Dad once said, "you only get one chance to make a really big impression". I think a .45 ACP qualifies........

That's what I thought too Jimmy when I found out mine was a Zanders

Now we "Zanders" guys can hangout with the real Smith and Wesson fellows ?

Naw, we are still the black sheep of the S&W family Jimmy.
What we can do is get the mark of the "Z" tattooed on our necks, buy Z-28 Camaro's and drive real fast and reckless to gun show's looking for more Zander 457's.
Can you dig it my brother of the "Z".