I have had mixed results with the S&W 457 model. Back in 2007 when I was getting divorced I sold off most of my meager collection of handguns. Almost all my semi auto's went away, to feed the divorce attorney and set up another residence.
Around the same time I also transferred to a different agency. An agency where you could carry pretty much anything you wanted to as long as it was a .45.
So, I picked up a well used 457 from the local cop shop. Heavy holster wear, 3 mags no box. IIRC I paid around $350 for it. It had not been shot very much though. I recall there was very little finish missing off the rails.
Back then, before the post 2008 craziness in gun and ammo pricing began, I shot quite a bit. 500 to 600 rounds a month and maybe more if I shot the monthly IDPA matches. I noticed that after a couple of months use (less than 1000 rounds) the 457's barrel was eating into the frame fairly significantly.
I posted here asking about it and was told it was normal and somewhat self limiting. Don't worry about it. But I did worry about it and traded the 457 in on a 4563TSW.
Fast forward to the past year. Some time last year I told my local dealer who I do business with to keep an eye out for a few S&W semi auto's for me. The 457 was on the list. He called me this past June, having aquired a large collection of unfired since the factory 3rd gen pistols. A pristine 457 was among the guns. 1996 construction. Forged parts and roll marks. Sol to me!
At the time I was trying to get a job with a unit where black compact 45's were what was preferred by the OIC. The 457 fit that bill. It is also, to me, the most "Glock like" of the 3rd gen 45's. In fact two people who have seen me with it in a holster have said; "You finally got a Glock!". No, no Glock fo me........sparky.
I actually had ordered a Glock 30S last year. When it came in, the guy who runs the shop sold it out from under me to a friend of his. I'm now glad he did. Saved me $600 bucks. Nothing wrong with the Glocks, if you like that sort of thing. They are just not for me.
So I took the 457 to the range Saturday for its second outing. First trip was 100 rounds of WWB with no failures, very good accuracy and basically a break in / refamiliarization trip. This trip was another 100 rounds of WWB. Only difference was all of it was shot in various drills. Again, 100% reliability and VERY good accuracy.
Fast pairs or double taps as we use to call them are a cinch with this gun. All of mine measured < 2" out to the 10 yard line. I started with the pistol in low ready and brought it up for a flash sight picture and two shots as fast as I could align the sights and roll the trigger. Ver pleased with the results.
I did notice that 10 yards was about as far as I could shoot tiny groups with the 457. The 25 yard groups were all around 5 inches and to the right of POA (I'm a lefty so I may have had too much finger on the trigger). The 7 yard groups were all pretty tight. Most were less than 3 inches. And I was firing pretty quickly too.
I'm sure it was me and not the gun. Probably the WWB 45 ball deserves some credit too for the less than stellar accuracy. Its not very consistant ammunition. Especially the way Winchester has been pushing it out the door lately. No matter, this 457 is plenty accurate enough for government work and at "working" distance was every bit as accurate as my 4513TSW's and 4516's. I'm well pleased with it.
One thing I did with this gun was to remove the Hogue grips and reinstall the factory OEM Delrins. Then I took a Hogue slip on grip, or "Glock sock" as we refer to it locally and using an Xacto knife took a little bit off the bottom and tailored it to fit the way I wanted. Slightly angled down under the trigger guard and higher on the backstrap. Puts the palm swells just where I want them.
I am VERY pleased with this arrangment and will leave the 457 with this grip configuration. Anchors the gun in my hand while firing yet doesn't take anything away from the 457's inherent concealability with its thin grip profile.
One other thing I did. I took the mag base plates off and replaced them with rounded 4513TSW baseplates from the original 6-round 4513TSW mags. Makes a big difference in the guns feel, for me. Worked fine at the range too. Zero malfunctions. I will keep this configuration as well. And probably hunt up a few more of the rounded baseplates to convert a few more mags.
In conclusion, I think this 457 is still a sleeper in the compact 45 world. Other than here, I rarely see anything about them on the gunboards. I am the only one using one locally. I can't recall the last ime I saw one in a gunshop. Shame too, because it is a fine compact 45. Certainly better built and more reliable than current offerings in the compact 45 category.
The only negatives I can find with the 457 are the same as when I first reviewed the model. The cheap finish and cheap sights. I hear tha Novaks has night sights for it now. I may look into that.
After only 3 weeks of use and maybe two dozen presentations from a holster, I have silvering on the high lines on the slide. I also had some light surface rust forming, on the right side of the muzzle, after one 8 hour off duty gig carrying it IWB. Some Viking Tactical CLP took care of that. But I will continue to watch closely for any signs of rust forming.
I would highly recommend the 457 to those of you looking for a durable, reliable, accurate compact carry 45. In the $400 to $475 range they are still a value. In the $500 + range they are still competitive with any other new production 45 and still cheaper than many of them. Regards 18DAI
Around the same time I also transferred to a different agency. An agency where you could carry pretty much anything you wanted to as long as it was a .45.
So, I picked up a well used 457 from the local cop shop. Heavy holster wear, 3 mags no box. IIRC I paid around $350 for it. It had not been shot very much though. I recall there was very little finish missing off the rails.
Back then, before the post 2008 craziness in gun and ammo pricing began, I shot quite a bit. 500 to 600 rounds a month and maybe more if I shot the monthly IDPA matches. I noticed that after a couple of months use (less than 1000 rounds) the 457's barrel was eating into the frame fairly significantly.
I posted here asking about it and was told it was normal and somewhat self limiting. Don't worry about it. But I did worry about it and traded the 457 in on a 4563TSW.
Fast forward to the past year. Some time last year I told my local dealer who I do business with to keep an eye out for a few S&W semi auto's for me. The 457 was on the list. He called me this past June, having aquired a large collection of unfired since the factory 3rd gen pistols. A pristine 457 was among the guns. 1996 construction. Forged parts and roll marks. Sol to me!
At the time I was trying to get a job with a unit where black compact 45's were what was preferred by the OIC. The 457 fit that bill. It is also, to me, the most "Glock like" of the 3rd gen 45's. In fact two people who have seen me with it in a holster have said; "You finally got a Glock!". No, no Glock fo me........sparky.
I actually had ordered a Glock 30S last year. When it came in, the guy who runs the shop sold it out from under me to a friend of his. I'm now glad he did. Saved me $600 bucks. Nothing wrong with the Glocks, if you like that sort of thing. They are just not for me.
So I took the 457 to the range Saturday for its second outing. First trip was 100 rounds of WWB with no failures, very good accuracy and basically a break in / refamiliarization trip. This trip was another 100 rounds of WWB. Only difference was all of it was shot in various drills. Again, 100% reliability and VERY good accuracy.
Fast pairs or double taps as we use to call them are a cinch with this gun. All of mine measured < 2" out to the 10 yard line. I started with the pistol in low ready and brought it up for a flash sight picture and two shots as fast as I could align the sights and roll the trigger. Ver pleased with the results.
I did notice that 10 yards was about as far as I could shoot tiny groups with the 457. The 25 yard groups were all around 5 inches and to the right of POA (I'm a lefty so I may have had too much finger on the trigger). The 7 yard groups were all pretty tight. Most were less than 3 inches. And I was firing pretty quickly too.
I'm sure it was me and not the gun. Probably the WWB 45 ball deserves some credit too for the less than stellar accuracy. Its not very consistant ammunition. Especially the way Winchester has been pushing it out the door lately. No matter, this 457 is plenty accurate enough for government work and at "working" distance was every bit as accurate as my 4513TSW's and 4516's. I'm well pleased with it.
One thing I did with this gun was to remove the Hogue grips and reinstall the factory OEM Delrins. Then I took a Hogue slip on grip, or "Glock sock" as we refer to it locally and using an Xacto knife took a little bit off the bottom and tailored it to fit the way I wanted. Slightly angled down under the trigger guard and higher on the backstrap. Puts the palm swells just where I want them.
I am VERY pleased with this arrangment and will leave the 457 with this grip configuration. Anchors the gun in my hand while firing yet doesn't take anything away from the 457's inherent concealability with its thin grip profile.
One other thing I did. I took the mag base plates off and replaced them with rounded 4513TSW baseplates from the original 6-round 4513TSW mags. Makes a big difference in the guns feel, for me. Worked fine at the range too. Zero malfunctions. I will keep this configuration as well. And probably hunt up a few more of the rounded baseplates to convert a few more mags.
In conclusion, I think this 457 is still a sleeper in the compact 45 world. Other than here, I rarely see anything about them on the gunboards. I am the only one using one locally. I can't recall the last ime I saw one in a gunshop. Shame too, because it is a fine compact 45. Certainly better built and more reliable than current offerings in the compact 45 category.
The only negatives I can find with the 457 are the same as when I first reviewed the model. The cheap finish and cheap sights. I hear tha Novaks has night sights for it now. I may look into that.
After only 3 weeks of use and maybe two dozen presentations from a holster, I have silvering on the high lines on the slide. I also had some light surface rust forming, on the right side of the muzzle, after one 8 hour off duty gig carrying it IWB. Some Viking Tactical CLP took care of that. But I will continue to watch closely for any signs of rust forming.
I would highly recommend the 457 to those of you looking for a durable, reliable, accurate compact carry 45. In the $400 to $475 range they are still a value. In the $500 + range they are still competitive with any other new production 45 and still cheaper than many of them. Regards 18DAI
....great report too
