Info on a S&W 457
- Thread starter rd2ruin
- Start date
Welcome to the forum! 
The entire 3rd generation line of pistols was never as popular as say.....the Glocks. Why? Well S&W never really promoted the features or did as much advertising as they do these days.
I think Mas Ayoob sold more S&W 3rd gen pistols than S&Ws advertising department ever did. Mas Ayoob wrote about his experiences with them fairly often. He also competed with them and did VERY well.
The 457 is a very fine compact 45. VERY accurate and bet your life reliable. It is a "value line" version of the 4513TSW. So it has some cost cutting features such as less slide finishing, some plastic parts and cheap sights. Most of the plastic parts can be replaced with metal 4513TSw parts, should you wish to do so. The sights are the only thing that ever really bothered me on my 457.
I'm told that Novaks 45 Shop in Parkersburg WV now has sights for the 457, although I've not yet verified that as fact. Besides the sights the only thing I would change is the grips. I prefer the Hogue rubber grips to the factory Xenoy grips. Makes the gun fit my hand better.
When the 457 is found used in the $350 to $425 range I think it is still a value. I wouldn't pay more than $450 for a 457 though as you could get a used 4513TSW for that. The 4513TSW has enough extra bells and whistles such as full length box frame rails, front strap checkering, Novak night sights, ambi decocker ect, that it is much more gun for the money.
Absolutely nothing wrong with a 457 though. I'd buy another 457 long before I'd buy an M&P45 or any of the other "popular" compact 45's.
Hope this helps! Let us know how your new 457 shoots.
Regards 18DAI.
The entire 3rd generation line of pistols was never as popular as say.....the Glocks. Why? Well S&W never really promoted the features or did as much advertising as they do these days.
I think Mas Ayoob sold more S&W 3rd gen pistols than S&Ws advertising department ever did. Mas Ayoob wrote about his experiences with them fairly often. He also competed with them and did VERY well.
The 457 is a very fine compact 45. VERY accurate and bet your life reliable. It is a "value line" version of the 4513TSW. So it has some cost cutting features such as less slide finishing, some plastic parts and cheap sights. Most of the plastic parts can be replaced with metal 4513TSw parts, should you wish to do so. The sights are the only thing that ever really bothered me on my 457.
I'm told that Novaks 45 Shop in Parkersburg WV now has sights for the 457, although I've not yet verified that as fact. Besides the sights the only thing I would change is the grips. I prefer the Hogue rubber grips to the factory Xenoy grips. Makes the gun fit my hand better.
When the 457 is found used in the $350 to $425 range I think it is still a value. I wouldn't pay more than $450 for a 457 though as you could get a used 4513TSW for that. The 4513TSW has enough extra bells and whistles such as full length box frame rails, front strap checkering, Novak night sights, ambi decocker ect, that it is much more gun for the money.
Absolutely nothing wrong with a 457 though. I'd buy another 457 long before I'd buy an M&P45 or any of the other "popular" compact 45's.
Hope this helps! Let us know how your new 457 shoots.
Regards 18DAI.
Dot_mdb
Member
I mostly agree with 18DAI. I carry the 457S stainless model everyday in a High Noon holster. I don't have any problem with the standard sights. Trijicon used to make replacement night sights but they are pricey. I think prices of these guns have increased in the past 6 months. No doubt the 4513 is a better gun but I don't like the rail and I don't like the model with the 6 round shorter grip.
I also prefer to use the standard S&W grips. I add some grip tape to the front strap. I am always looking to obtain a second 457. I am not against polymer guns but I don't see any polymer guns that have the same features.
Bill
I also prefer to use the standard S&W grips. I add some grip tape to the front strap. I am always looking to obtain a second 457. I am not against polymer guns but I don't see any polymer guns that have the same features.
Bill
Dot_mdb
Member
18DAI,
Congratulations on reaching 3,000 posts. I have probably read most of them and enjoyed them all.
Bill
Congratulations on reaching 3,000 posts. I have probably read most of them and enjoyed them all.
Bill
I also mostly agree with 18DAI. I carried a 457 on a trip through parts of the south back in November and found it very comfortable. During that trip we did some shooting and one of my friends was so impressed with the way it felt and handled that he's looking for one.
My only quibbles with 18DAI would be over price. Prices on all guns seem to be going up and the 3rd generation guns are no exception. Also, price depends on what you get with the gun. I paid $475.00 for mine three years ago. Which might seem high, but it came with seven magazines, 100 rounds of JHP ammo, and a holster. Which made it a better deal, at least IMHO.
My only quibbles with 18DAI would be over price. Prices on all guns seem to be going up and the 3rd generation guns are no exception. Also, price depends on what you get with the gun. I paid $475.00 for mine three years ago. Which might seem high, but it came with seven magazines, 100 rounds of JHP ammo, and a holster. Which made it a better deal, at least IMHO.
Timber Wolf
Member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2009
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They are great guns, I really enjoy mine and shoot it very well. The 457 is a real sleeper and prices on them are climbing. I will say, check on spare magazines before you buy if it does not come with enough to suit you. Prices on 457 magazines have risen a lot too. If you buy it and don't like it won't have any trouble selling it, maybe to somebody here!
Fastbolt
Member
The M457 & M457S (stainless slide) never received much advertising effort ... because they didn't need it. They were solid work-horse, lightweight compact .45's.
Accuracy was acceptable.
Reliability with any good quality hollowpoint ammo made by one of the major American ammo companies seemed to be one of their strong points (as with the rest of the S&W 3rd gen .45's).
The Hogue grip panels offered a bit more thickness, but were snug in the hand.
I tend to experience hammer-bite when using 3rd gen .45's equipped with spurred hammers, so I liked the spurless hammers on the compact 457/4513TSW/CS45's, myself.
I agree the TSW versions offer some worthwhile enhancements (especially if you wanted an ambi manual safety & steel sights), but for a day-in/day-out "working" compact .45, they were hard to beat.
Accuracy was acceptable.
Reliability with any good quality hollowpoint ammo made by one of the major American ammo companies seemed to be one of their strong points (as with the rest of the S&W 3rd gen .45's).
The Hogue grip panels offered a bit more thickness, but were snug in the hand.
I tend to experience hammer-bite when using 3rd gen .45's equipped with spurred hammers, so I liked the spurless hammers on the compact 457/4513TSW/CS45's, myself.
I agree the TSW versions offer some worthwhile enhancements (especially if you wanted an ambi manual safety & steel sights), but for a day-in/day-out "working" compact .45, they were hard to beat.
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Great gun for the money if priced right ( should find very good to excellent cond for $450 or less). Accurate, compact/concealable, mine reliably shoots any kind of ammo I put in it, have heard the same comment from anyone who has ever owned one. Probably one of my favorite Smiths. Doubt you would regret buying it but would be easy to sell if for some reason you did. Good luck with your decision.
chevythunder
Member
I have the two tone 457 and love it. I dont carry it much because i dont want to damage it, it is still in excellent shape. I carry my SD40VE in the winter mostly due to the price difference.
But it is a Smith you will love to shoot and carry, if i didnt have my SD40VE i would carry that during the colder months. Very accurate and reliable
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
But it is a Smith you will love to shoot and carry, if i didnt have my SD40VE i would carry that during the colder months. Very accurate and reliable
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
Thanks guys!!! I appreciate you input. I decided to go ahead and "pull the trigger" so to speak on the 457. Will be taking it to the range to run some rounds through it. (I won't tell you what I paid for it as I believe you will think I stole it!! LOL!!)
Warmest Regards
Eric
Warmest Regards
Eric
shawn mccarver
SWCA Member
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2005
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- 7,989
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Welcome to the forum!
The entire 3rd generation line of pistols was never as popular as say.....the Glocks. Why? Well S&W never really promoted the features or did as much advertising as they do these days.
I think Mas Ayoob sold more S&W 3rd gen pistols than S&Ws advertising department ever did. Mas Ayoob wrote about his experiences with them fairly often. He also competed with them and did VERY well.
The 457 is a very fine compact 45. VERY accurate and bet your life reliable. It is a "value line" version of the 4513TSW. So it has some cost cutting features such as less slide finishing, some plastic parts and cheap sights. Most of the plastic parts can be replaced with metal 4513TSw parts, should you wish to do so. The sights are the only thing that ever really bothered me on my 457.
I'm told that Novaks 45 Shop in Parkersburg WV now has sights for the 457, although I've not yet verified that as fact. Besides the sights the only thing I would change is the grips. I prefer the Hogue rubber grips to the factory Xenoy grips. Makes the gun fit my hand better.
When the 457 is found used in the $350 to $425 range I think it is still a value. I wouldn't pay more than $450 for a 457 though as you could get a used 4513TSW for that. The 4513TSW has enough extra bells and whistles such as full length box frame rails, front strap checkering, Novak night sights, ambi decocker ect, that it is much more gun for the money.
Absolutely nothing wrong with a 457 though. I'd buy another 457 long before I'd buy an M&P45 or any of the other "popular" compact 45's.
Hope this helps! Let us know how your new 457 shoots.
In addition to replacing some plastic with some steel - the magazine catch comes to mind since it is interacting directly with a steel magazine and will wear pretty quickly - you might check over at S&W and see if anyone remembers the package of mods they did for Chicago PD. The 457 was an approved weapon at Chicago PD, and S&W made up a gun specifically for them, called the 457D, I think. It is DAO and has some other improvements. I think the parts list for the 457D is on S&W's web site, so you could compare line by line and see what is different.
Were it me, I would definitely change out the magazine catch to steel.
I know that the answer is likely "How good are you at taking things apart and putting them back together?", but I'll ask anyway. How complex a job is it to replace the magazine catch? The arrangement of the catch is different in the Value Line guns as there doesn't seem to be a plunger putting pressure on the catch nut. I can see how to do the job on the regular guns, but not on the 457.
Any thoughts?
Any thoughts?
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Dot_mdb
Member
I've had two parts break on my third Gens. Both were steel. One was the mag catch on my 4506. I have never had a plastic part break. Check through the forum. I don't recall complaints of plastic parts breaking. S&W doesn't build junk even in their value line guns.
Bill
Bill
Denversteve
Member
I had one in the 90's for an off-duty pistol and couldn't shoot it well enough to continue carrying it. I was a Distinguished Expert on the department and instructor so it wasn't me. I went back to my 1911 and never looked back. For a carry weapon it's great but mine just didn't shoot well. As a department carry weapon it had to be qualified at 25 yards and mine wouldn't hold up well enough for my ego at that distance.
