Every bad situation that people find themselves in, involving bears or human aggressors, doesn't require a round to be popped off in 3 seconds or less. There certainly ARE those situations, and we hope and pray we're not caught in one of them. But, there are countless accurate accounts of armed citizens defending themselves successfully with a handgun or long arm in which the defender was never trained in close quarter combat, and in which they retrieved their needed piece off of a nightstand or console of a vehicle. Read the hundreds of accounts in The Armed Citizen section of The American Rifleman. The arm does not HAVE to be on your person (it's sure nice if it is), but it does have to be close enough.
We can debate the merits of this or that arm, this or that means of concealment or carry, and how to train one's self for "seeing the elephant". But, when it comes down to it, your odds of walking away are higher if you are very close to a firearm, that you're familiar with, all the time. I carry, but it's not always strapped to my side. More often it is by my side in my pickup with my short barreled 12 ga. pump within arm's reach. I am an active deacon in my church, and I take seriously the protection of the members of the congregation who come to worship. If weather makes it hard for me to carry on my hip because of lightweight clothing I have a leather bible carrier that my .45 fits into rather nicely. When I'm seated and the services have begun the carrier is unzipped and in my lap or right by my side.
As for me, I abide by Col. Cooper's teachings. A .45 ACP is the pistol to carry, and it's purpose is to fight your way to the closest shotgun. I'll never in my life be as good with any handgun as I am with a shotgun. And, as craigd said, stay out of harm's way as best you can.
