In the beginning, all pistols and muskets were natural - a finish called "bright" which meant untreated carbon steel. As time worn on, and humidity/water discolored them, they became dark, which we collect as rare prizes. That doesn't mean they were dark when they were new, tho, just the same as a Chippendale cabinet wasn't black - oxidation of the shellac over hundreds of years did that. Originally they were unstained natural cherry etc.
As the 1800's rolled along browning and blueing were used to "pre rust" the carbon steel and slow down the process. In a way, those westerns a lot of us watched in the 1950's with bright shiny guns weren't wrong - new guns back in the day were bright - even tho what we may have been seeing was nickel plating, the next step in rust prevention. By the 1900's parkerized grey become the dominant military color.
By the 70's stainless steel was becoming affordable, alloys were tried out, and then the move went full swing in the 80's. A lot of new guns produced were stainless top and bottom, a favorite carried in LEO holsters were S&W 2d and 3rd Generation. Big honking stainless .45 ACP auto pistols were common, 9mms were issue in the larger metros. Scully and Molder carried them as did a lot of TV cops then.
Then Glock appeared, made sales, and we went to black. Gun blue was it's forebear but it wasn't really dead black the way Tenifer and polymer appeared, the shine was gone. Polishing began it's retreat as it was expensive hand labor and it couldn't be done in entry level guns for mass marketing. That lineh as continued to change so that now most mass marketed guns aren't polished, and quite a few have durable paint or nitride finishes.
OD attempted to make some headway in military arms, HK's were offered and issued to some countries. But black had become dominant in most armies, and after the introduction of the M16 even it was changed from green painted composite with gray metal to black. Even tho we understood that you still had to camo them for war, nobody much did until we arrived in the desert the second time. A black rifle was inappropriate in a sand colored environment. And the regulations were amended to allow a rattle can spray paint job.
Now, OD and black aren't the color of choice, Coyote and FDE are the new colors. Lighter colors, especially for CCW, are better than "It's a GUN!" black, if someone carries a two tone denim blue and t shirt white pistol, it's not stupid. It works. Get the matching IWB holster, too. What we are reading above is how people initially saw guns in their era growing up, and what represented Power! to them. They carry that impression thruout life and now it's found to be a series of changing perspectives generation by generation. I got impressed by OD green battle rifles and stainless pistols - but it doesn't make it right. I carry a black CCW and shoot deer with a Foliage Green rifle, yet, I now wish it was FDE. Matches fall foliage better. My field pistol is FDE with matching holster.
Get what you want. Insisting one is somehow morally superior to another is a joke, and taking it as sarcasm the best way to handle it.
