IMO a lot of serious CCW persons like black weapons (I am one of them). They are not for show, are easier to conceal, don't catch light and have a slight advantage in the matter of surprise. The only downside is they don't tend to show well at barbecues. I also have a few handguns that I take to those!
* * * I missed the whole 2nd page! I just turned 60 and I think that I lost half my brain cells.
My experience: After age 60, when you hit a bump things rattle. After 70, you hit a bump and things fall off and you have to go back and pick 'em up.
I do think there is a real potential for the original early guns to increase substantially in value once Remington takes the R9 mainstream.