opinions on smith wesson 457 auto

[Daves-got-guns]

i have a uncle who is thinking of selling a 5-year old unfired smith wesson 457 autoloader. I have handled the gun a few times and i think it has had one bullet chambered in its life, not fired though. Was wondering what other people think on it, accuracy, reliability etc. so far i hear the finish wears alittle quick, but other then that idk Thanx again. oh and how much would YOU pay for one of these?

[Baba Louie]

Good little gun. Relatively accurate and fun to shoot, even if the safety is slide mounted and works the wrong way ... Great for carry.
For a friend or a relative I might think of selling mine around $400 +/-.
I'd snap up one of their new stainless models if one crossed my path for the right money.

[ISP2605]

I carried my 457 as backup to my 645 when I was running a couple of drug task forces. After I left the TF I carried the 457 quite a bit in plain clothes and off duty. I still carry it some.
The 457 is a sleeper in the S&W line. They don't get much coverage and most people overlook them. They tend to be very reliable and will feed anything you put in them. Mine is very accurate and the trigger is pretty smooth. The factory sights are plastic but there are steel night sights available which are easy to swap out. With the narrow butt they conceal pretty well. The overall size is the same as the Glock 23 or S&W 6904/6906 but the butt is narrower on the 457.
I really like mine and it's not for sale.

[fastbolt]

Bargain for the money, and as ISP2605 pointed out, a real sleeper in the .45 pistol market.

I installed a set of adjustable sights on a fellow's early model 457. He used it as a backup weapon while working a special enforcement team for a few years. Always had great service from it and never any complaints. Finally wore out the recoil and magazine springs and had to replace them, so I recommended a periodic replacement regimen. He shoots a lot. He liked the 457 enough that he finally bought a 4513TSW when he had the opportunity.

S&W .45's are fairly boring from the perspective that they're generally monotonous in their reliable feeding & functioning ...

I can say that my pre-rail 4513TSW has been monotonously reliable.

While I'd be perfectly comfortable with either a 457 or 457S (stainless slide) if I was once again in the market for another compact metal-framed TDA .45 ACP, all things considered I'd still spring for the extra money for the 4513TSW. It's too bad that S&W pulled that model, along with most of the other TSW models (with the exception of the 3913TSW & 4013TSW), from the regular public/commercial catalog. The 4513TSW is reportedly still a strong seller for LE customers. When I was talking to one of the big name leather holster makers who fill a lot of LE orders, I was told that they've been receiving an increasing number of orders for 4513TSW plainclothes holsters.

[oldbillthundercheif]

They are nice pistols. One of my family members has one and it is always a lot of fun to shoot at the range. I don't think you will have much to complain about if you pick one up.

[Charles S]

Great gun....

[varoadking]

Yup - great gun, and a bargain - consistently accurate, though mine tends to shoot several inches low of POA at 12 yards using 230 grain ball.

I've put the Hogue rubber panel grips and an 18# Wolff mainspring on mine...

[Daves-got-guns]

low with the heavy bullets? i thought that heavy bullets were sposed to hit higher? my .357 hits very very close to point of aim with 125 grain bullets, time and time again, witch is alittle weird cause i thought that 158 grain bullets is what they used to "dial in" the old smith 19s, and i was always under the impression that heavier bullets had higher impact.

[LH2]

My 457S is great. Accurate, pleasant to shoot, nice DA/SA trigger pull and short trigger reset.

Never had a malfunction, definitely a sleeper. I think alot of Ruger P90/P345 buyers should have given the 457 a chance.

[Z_Infidel]

My wife's 457 has been utterly reliable, no failures of any kind with well over 1,000 rounds fired (mostly by me). I had it converted to DAO and the safety removed by S&W. They also performed an action job and when I got it back I installed a set of reduced-power springs. Those changes, along with Hogue rubber grips, have made it into a very simple, handy, and pleasant to shoot pistol. I'm a 1911 guy but I wouldn't mind carrying our 457 in its modified form.

[Daves-got-guns]

z, how heavy is the trigger pull with that dao gun? yeah i understand the safety decocker removal, and i just plain dont like decockers on some guns!

[Z_Infidel]

The trigger is just about as light as I would want to go with a double action pistol with no safety. Sorry, I realize that's not much of an answer but I don't know the actual trigger pull weight. I can tell you the trigger is not spongy like some DA pistols I've shot before, and my wife is pretty accurate with it. I think the action job performed by S&W made it smoother, while the springs I installed made it lighter. These things combined make it a very good trigger.

[varoadking]

Mine shoots about 4" to 5" low at 12 yards...really irritating...

[broncobob]

I just purchased A smith 457S there is one thing I that I admired about the gun right off the bat.If the magazine is out of the gun,the double action is
disconnected,so you won't be able to discharge the one round that might be in the pipe,so it seems to be a some what safe gun in that respect

[ruhip]

Great gun...I have had three of them....Currently own two.....I believe the best bang for your buck in a mid size .45ACP.....I put some rubber grips on them and feel little to no recoil, double tap heaven .....Between the three about 3,000 rounds fired without a hiccup....They eat everything you feed them...I don't think I have ever paid more than $350 for one....They shoot great for me...I originally did not care for the decocking system on these Smiths, but have grown fond of them....457 are easy and slim to carry (IWB) and the decocker feature with one in the tube with safety on is a great way to carry..Just draw and click safety off and DAO first shot is the way to go...Great DAO and semi triggers....Have been a major sleeper for years.....I like the look and the feel of the new Smith Pro Series 3" 1911 but have not shot one yet....A little too rich for my blood

[Bolocanolo]

I've own a 457 and use it for conceal carry. It's the best kept secret on .45 acp. Why S&W discontinued production is beyond me. I would like some feedback in obtaining a holster for this gun for IDPA. I appriciate any info you may have. PM are ok.

[Dot_mdb]

I carry my 457S in a Highnoon IWB holster. A kydex holster, especially one of the ones made by Fist, would conceal a little better. The 457 is only slightly wider than the 3913 and in fact my 457 will fit snugly in the Fist holster for my 3913.

Bill