[Aristides]

I'm about to buy my first 45 ACP. I have several 9mm and 357 mags, and assorted other pistols. I've tentatively narrowed my 45 choice to one of these three pistols:

1. Colt XSE Govt, 5", Blued Finish
2. Colt XSE Commander, 4.25", Stainless Finish
3. Dan Wesson Guardian, 4.25", Duty Finish

I have two unresolved questions.

First, how would you rank the above three regarding a finish that will be most resistant to showing scratches, dings, etc?

Second, from a carrying comfort standpoint, how much consideration should I give to the 5" barrel length of the Govt vs the 4.25" barrel of the Commander size? I carry IWB with a belly band. A friend told me that he notices the difference when he carries his 5", that it tends to pinch a bit and it's more noticable when he sits down. Does anyboy else have both a 5" and 4.25", and can you tell the difference when carrying?