Dave, all your posts in this thread exhibit a serious lack of the word "eh?" in case you haven't noticed.

That and your talking about carrying a gun which we would never do in Canada

This tells us your token Canadian citizenship needs to be reviewed.........

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Now, back to the gun discussion...

canadas gun laws are so bad it seems to keep the guns from lawfull citizens while the bad guys are packin.Once again marred by the federal gov,the same people who bring in the migrant boats.Bad guys shoot guns,we shoot rocksalt.BIG CALIBER PLEASE

OK the trip to the gun shop was somewhat disappointing:
- they did not have any Colts except overpriced commemorative models (although I know what one is like since I own one, and I can buy one easily enough somewhere, e.g. Gunbroker.com).
- the only N-frame .357 8-shots they had were 2" barrel with scandium (too light weight) frames in blue so I could not get a feel for that gun, however the factory grips on that gun were too big to hold comfortably (could easily replace grips, however). But overall the gun just looks outsize.
- they did have the exact Kimber, at full list price, ooooh what a sweet gun that is, I especially liked the 30-lines-per-inch checkering on the front strap.
- they did have the Ruger Vaquero in bright stainless in .45 Long Colt, what a gorgeous piece, however my hand is a little too big for a comfortable fit.

But I think I will forego the $1,300 - $1,500 US price tags for the .45 ACP's that are on my #1 list, and go with a standard Colt .45 Government Model in stainless steel, but maybe go one step up and spend a little more for the XSE:

I'll add black rubber Pachmayr wrap-around grips, and take a little time to polish the sides of the slide and frame flats, and it'll be a good match I think. I especially like the "twin streaks" on the slide, like the hood of my 56, eh?

So I am going to go with the majority vote and the Colt .45 ACP, eh?

And -

- Pete, how did you get that Christmas snapshot out of my old photo album???!!! hahaha that was a childhood fantasy, I had to make do with twin silver revolvers and a cowboy outfit, note that I only used the highest qualtiy red roll of caps, eh?

- I did have a Dirty Harry .44 Magnum once, even bigger than his, 8-3/8" barrel, shot sweet but just impractical. The .50 is even more outlandish, might as well get a long gun if you're going that big, eh? Plus my 56 Poncho carry gun has to fit easily under the seat in its gun rug.

- Mike, that old $50 is way cool:

Canada always had prettier money than down here, our bills were boring, and now the USA bills are just ugly, eh?

- Carl, I would only carry in a Genuine Canadian Mooseskin pouch, eh? So that should help on the token citizenship, eh? Along with other "makeups" eh? Eh?

So thanks again for the input, guys!

Dave

Kevin, I am no expert, I do know some states (California, Massachusetts) have the reputation for very restrictive laws on handguns, similar to those in Canada. Most, including Florida, instead recognize the long-standing American 'right to keep arms' - and both my wife and I, especially since 9/11 (those 'pilots' trained in Florida), feel we are much better off being able to defend ourselves if needed. Our choice is having a gun and maybe never not needing it, versus the possibility of needing a gun and not having it. There are many places in Florida, in large cities like happened to Ray, small cities like Fort Myers (we have our "Projects" too), rural locales like Canal Point, where you do not go if you can avoid it (avoidance being always preferable) but sometimes you have to, or sometimes out of ignorance you stumble into bad places - and we refuse to be victims.

Florida is a "Stand-your-ground" state. The Florida law is a self-defense, self-protection law. It has four key components:

1. It establishes that law-abiding residents and visitors may legally presume the threat of bodily harm or death from anyone who breaks into a residence or occupied vehicle and may use defensive force, including deadly force, against the intruder.

2. In any other place where a person has a right to be, that person has no duty to retreat if attacked and may meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.

3. In either case, a person using any force permitted by the law is immune from criminal prosecution or civil action and cannot be arrested unless a law enforcement agency determines there is probable cause that the force used was unlawful.

4. If a civil action is brought and the court finds the defendant to be immune based on the parameters of the law, the defendant will be awarded all costs of defense.

Regarding carrying in your car in Florida:
Vehicle carry without a permit is allowed either in a snapped holster in plain view, or when the firearm is concealed if the firearm is "securely encased". "Securely encased" means in a glove compartment, whether or not locked; snapped in a holster; in a gun case, whether or not locked; in a zippered gun case; or in a closed box or container which requires a lid or cover to be opened for access.

Above legal stuff from Wikipedia, which squares with what I got from the Sheriff's Office when we moved here.

We use nicely padded (to protect the guns) zippered gun cases, in the Mustang glove box, in my truck's center console - and I am thinking in the 56 it will be under the seat since the glove box is going to be shallow (I still have to cut down the American Pontiac glove box liner I bought).

So now you know more about carrying guns in Florida than you did before, eh?

Dave

Also I think Canadians are generally nicer people so less need for self-defense!

Dave