Good stuff here. Let's see. Prior to carrying I wasn't a very nice guy. Guy got out of his car in Santa Cruz, CA, after he cut me off, and came towards me. I got out of the car waited...
He came over, started to say something.
I said, more like snarled,
"Let's fight. I didn't get out of the car to talk."
Shut up, glared, and waited...He figured his odds weren't good, got back in the car, and drove away as fast as he could.
Good move on his part.
Recently some persian guy wouldn't let me into traffic, so I moved in anyway. Didn't have any choice, the lane I was in was blocked by construction.
Went through a signal, then the guy cut me off, by cutting across my lane, and banging into the curb in front of me, blocking the lane, forced me into the curb. He got out. I decided I had a few choices.
One, I could flatten him, end up in jail. Two, I could pepper spray him, still probably end up in jail. Third, I could shoot out his tires, and drive off, but, my car is easily identified, and, end up in jail, with more charges, felonies I'm sure, loose my life as I know it.
Fourth wait till he punches me, then pepper spray and shoot him, more jail. Jump in the car, go up on the curb, and leave him and his rather ugly wife sitting there, and not go to jail... I picked the last one...
So, I guess the real point here is the statement,
"An armed society is a polite society."
Having boxed and done martial arts, I enjoy fighting, when I win, and even sometimes when I loose. Most scumbags don't run up against guys that spend 5 days a week in the gym, and fight professionals for fun. None the less, my teachers would rip me a new one, and then take my head off if they felt I was using their art against their principals.
I suggest that the ultimate martial art is CCW, if you know what you are doing. And, with that art, goes the ultimate responsibility.
So, to answer your question: with a gun, retreat is ALWAYS my first option. Get away from the guy, don't say anything, leave. If corned, fight like a cornered cat. Do whatever you have to do to get away from the guy, and run, watching the entire time. If the guy has a weapon, AND HE POINTS IT AT YOU, or starts to, then shoot him.
Recently 3 kids, drunk, pulled into a liquor store I had stupidly parked in front of, hit my car, and walked into the store, with me watching the entire thing. I tried to take pictures with my cell phone, got the license, but couldn't ID the kids later. The kids ran in the store, jumped back in the car, and drove off. I did not spray them with pepper spray, I did not drop all three of them on the spot, nor did I pull my .357 and shoot them. I did NOT go to jail, either...I did not get sued...either.