I purchased a 457S and am interested in converting it to 45 supper by installing stronger recoil springs. Any one do this conversion? Is it likely to blow up the barrel and ruin my day?

You won't blow up the barrel. But the 457 is an alloy frame. A stronger recoil spring won't keep it from getting battered. Eventually you'll have a cracked frame. Unknown how many rounds that will take. 50? 1000? No one knows but the alloy frame was never built for .45 Super recoil.
Why tear up a very fine defensive firearm shooting ammo and for what purpose?

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I've never shot 45 Super in my 4516-1, with the single recoil spring, only my 4586, but I have converted my 4013 (40S&W) to be a 1013 (10Auto) & what I found in it, as well as other 3rd Gens, is that sometimes you need to change to a strong hammer spring too.

The hammer against the slide helps aid the recoil spring with the initial unlocking force. Not enough force & you'll lose power as you increase your handload charge weights & velocity flattens out & doesn't increase, as seen when chrongraphed.

I run a 23# hammer spring in my 1013, which I made by shortening a longer hammer spring for the 4506.

The downside to the heavier hammer spring is it increases the DA trigger a bit (it's not a 1-1 increase) & only minimally changes the SA trigger pull.

If your 457S is a single recoil spring model then 16# is standard. Wolff makes 17, 19, 21 & 23# recoil springs for the 4516-1s.

I'd suggest trying the 19# spring first & don't forget to check it's fit it your pistol as I've had to cut coils sometimes because the slide would stop on the compressed recoil spring instead of the frame abutment.

Some good 45ACP (+P)s might be a good alternative too.

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If I remember correctly all the 457 pistols were dual spring like the 4513TSW and the later 4516-2 - as well as the factory retrofitted 4516 and 4516-1. That means smaller diameter recoil guide rod and smaller hole in slide. Not sure what if any recoil spring options there might be.

As to frame, the 457 is an alloy frame as pointed out in the previous post - like the 4513TSW. I have seen some beat up 4513TSW frames where the rear of the barrel slides down the ramp - and that is with 45ACP (maybe hot loads, but still 45ACP).

I dont know of any cracked frames in the 45's, but there were problems in other calibers - including steel frames if I recall correctly.

And there were reliability issues in the first 4516 which resulted in the retrofits and redesign to the 4516-1 and ultimately the dual spring 4516-2 (all steel frames).

I initially thought the 457s were made a little earlier but in looking I see they started in 1996 which was after the 4516-1s stopped in 1992 (single recoil spring models went to dual/nested after) and the 457S's started much later than I thought, in 2003.

Additionally the (2012) 3rd Gen parts catalog, the last one I'm aware of, shows the dual/nested recoil springs as the only choice for a M457 so ACEd appears to be correct on this point.

A heavier hammer spring, as mentioned above, would still be an option but there are a few other options for the dual/nested recoil spring models with setups on the smaller (.237") guide rods -vs- the .290" guide rod models.

ISMI flat wire recoil springs (GLC-18, 20, & 22) for GL**Ks can be fitted to replace the dual/nested springs but in my testing they don't offer any increase in strength, which is what you are asking for.

The other choice is the one I used on my 1013, instead of a factory dual/nested or GLC springs, as described in my 4013-1013 conversion thread here: http://smith-wessonforum.com/140021913-post6.html

Simply it's replacing the factory outer nested spring, with a stronger Wolff 4516-1 style recoil spring, while reusing the factory inner nested spring.

I used a Wolff #47719 as the outer spring over the factory inner in my 1013.

I'd suggest trying a Wolff #44717 (17#) spring as the outer which should put it 2# less than what I measured with a 19# outer, if you want to go that route.

Again, don't forget to verify recoil spring fitment, as mentioned above, on any new recoil spring installation.

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1013 recoil spring setup - Wolff 19lb + S&W inner

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1013 recoil spring setup - Wolff 19lb + S&W inner

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