Rule One

Rule number one when you find yourself in a gunfight.  Have a gun.

Not 'have a gun whose caliber starts with a .4,' not, 'have a rifle, and a friend with a rifle,' not, 'have lots and lots of training and realistic practice,' not, 'have a magazine that has 19 or more rounds in it.'  Have a gun.  Even a .25ACP.

Now, that's not to say that getting practice or carrying a larger weapon or using a weapon that allows extra follow on shots isn't a definite Good Thing.  It is.  No argument there.  But even rank beginners that would look at their gun for a good 20 seconds if it stovepiped after a single shot can and do successfully defend themselves.   That can even work against a gang of 30 Chicago teenagers who decide that there are funner places they'd rather be.  Even against a professional stickup gang that mugs people for a living will often vamoose and look for easier pigeons.

Here's the good news when private bad guy runs into YOU, private citizen minding his own business looking like a prey but isn't really appetizing because of that pistole.  YOU aren't going to haul him off to the pokey.  YOU aren't going to chase him through back alleys, tasing him when you get him down and maybe throw a few punches in for giggles.  YOU are not a cop.  Changing his tactic to RUN AWAY is good instinctive move on his part. 

Fanatic and determined assassination squad out to end you?  You got big problems friend. That is the case of "sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes the bear eats you," innit?  That Beretta Bearcat  might not be enough unless you are lucky.  Face it, though, if that is the kind of bad news you run into there is little helping you.

Offer not valid if participants are drunk and have an inflated sense of self esteem and invulnerability.  Another reason not imbibe or be around drunk fools when carrying.