I am looking at a S&W 457 for under $400. Don't want to carry it, home defense mainly. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Pros:
Light weight because of the alloy frame. This plus small size would make it a great concealed carry gun.

Traditional double action, if you like that. Perfect for carry

Safety/decocker lever. Again, a great feature for carry.

The usual outstanding reliability of 3rd gen S&W auto.

Gun Tests magazine compared it awhile back to a Glock and a Kahr, and rated it way better than either one.

Cons:
None I can think of, unless you object to one of its features listed above.

It is a fine gun, and there is no obvious reason why it should not be satisfactory. It all depends on what you want.
With the features on board this gun, it is an obvious candidate for concealed carry, possibly even in the pocket without a holster.
But if you don't want to carry it, then an all steel gun with a longer barrel might make more sense.

Thanks, I think the allure of an excellent .45 for <$400 is what got me going on this one!

What's not to like? It's a fine .45 concealment pistol.

Here's mine, complete with tritium night sights:



For an in-depth comparison of this pistol with others, see the article I wrote here in 2000:

The Sight's M1911 .45 ACP Page

Click on:

Library, then
Reviews, then
Other Pistols.

Then scroll down near the bottom of the list to "Up Close and Personal."

I think this will give you some insight as to how the 457 stacks up compared to a Springfield V10, a Glock 30, and a USP compact .45. Hope it helps.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Thanks John, Excellent article.

I like mine.

Really excellent and objective article, John. Can't argue with any of your conclusions. Do you, or anyone else, have any insight into the status of the "quality control" issues that you mentioned regarding the S&W barrel?

Bob

Bob, the quality issues I spoke of (barrel irregularities) on the 457 I examined for the article were of course applicable to that single gun. Whether or not such things extended to other 457s, I cannot say. I have examined other 457s, but only cursorily, not having time to do anything like the careful examination I conducted on the guns used in the comparison. Perhaps other owners could read the article and check their own guns, posting their observations here. My guess is that I just got a "Monday gun" that was not entirely up to S&W quality standards. The burrs on the muzzle of the barrel were easily cleaned up with some fine-grit sandpaper rotated by hand there. The internal irregularities may or may not have contributed to accuracy problems, and as I mentioned in the article, could probably smooth out with extensive shooting.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

I currently carry a 457S on most days and I am very satisfied with it. For home defense I think something like the 4506 would be a better choice. I have a 4506 that Trijicon just relamped and I intend to use that as my "bedroom" gun.

The 457 is an extremely good carry gun. I currently carry mine in a Highnoon leather holster. It conceals relatively well but I will probably order a Fist kydex holster for it to increase the concealability. The 457 will actually fit in the Fist kydex holster I use for my 3913, but it is just a little too snug.

I've shot the 457 and the 4506 side by side at the range and the 457 does surprisingly well in comparison.

I think an average 457 (not the stainless model) would sell for about $350 or maybe less and they are a bargain at that price.

Bill

Pistols, as with just about anything else that comes from an assembly line, is pretty much luck of the draw. Having said that, I have never had a S&W which failed to meet my expectations, my 457 included.

Built as a "budget gun," the 457 is an excellent pistol for those who can adapt to the DA/SA trigger system. I bought mine 7 or 8 years ago and have never had a problem of any kind with it.

The 457 is my cool weather carry gun, when I can get away with wearing a jacket or coat. I have used that pistol to qualify for the past 5 years for HR-218 / LEOSA.

The only modification I made was to replace the sights with XS 24/7 night sights. I also obtained a couple of Mag Pro 8 round magazines.

PS:
Having now read John's article, my experience differs from his on two points. Accuracy with my pistol is excellent! As for the magazine safety, we in law enforcement trained to use that as an advantage, when a suspect is fighting you for your pistol. Eject the magazine and he is holding a short club, while you go for your back-up gun. While my 457 was never a duty gun for me (I bought it after retirement) for much of my career I carried a model 59 & 4006, which both have the same operating system.

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Retired Police, Life NRA

+1 I like mine also. It seems like I paid $330.00 to $350.00 for mine. It was lightly used. I have not experienced any problems at all.

However, it has to be your decision. If you like it and are happy with the price, go for it.

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Regards,
Russell

Bought my 457S new about 7 or 8 years ago. Has been a good pistol and have had no problems with it. Had some trijicon night sights installed and hogue grips. Shoots real good.

Late question, is there a larger Clip for the 457? Like more than 7+1 clip.

I'd agree with many already that the 457 is an excellent carry gun, but for home defense I would go with a larger all-steel model like the 4566TSW. You would have the benefit of a longer barrel, a sturdier frame, and a heavier gun that will soak up recoil like a champ. Not to mention that it's a higher-production-grade S&W 3rd Gen than the value line 457.

The 4566TSW also normally has a rail, so you have the option of adding a light or laser if you choose. This particular model can also be had for around $400 on Gunbroker these days, though they are drying up quickly at that price.

The larger 8-round 4506/4566 mags will also work in the 457, and I personally only use S&W factory mags for the 45xx guns.

When I first purchased my 457, I bought two longer magazines that the seller assured me would fit. I think they held 10 or 12 rounds and were made for a rifle.

Anyway, I got them home and it was a week or more before I could try them out. They wouldn't stay in the gun! I could hold them up with my other hand but that was a mess. Also, they didn't have the little plastic "hook" for my pinky, so they would have been awkward to use without some modification.