I had no recollection of that thread or of the novel I mentioned in it.  Had to look up the book I had referenced to see what it was all about.  Let's hear it for old age!   I wasn't a fan of fancy-colored guns but I'll tolerate them these days with a couple of stipulations.

First is that they can't be confused with toys; no orange tips or other decorations that would make a kid think they were okay to point at someone!

Second, they're okay for sport and competition use but not defense.  I still think the appearance of the gun you use to protect your life is important.  My preference is dark colors - especially matte black - for better concealment, with maybe a stainless muzzle so the bad guy's eye is drawn to it and he realizes the mistake he is making.

So if someone wants to shoot his colorful Ruger at the club's weekly shoots, more power to him!  And if he wants to call the barrel enclosure on it the receiver, that's okay, too; I realize that it really is part of the frame on such a gun.

And it was fun little thread, wasn't it?

Stu