Over the x-mas holiday, I saw a parking lot argument verging on the edge of ugliness. Don't know how it turned out, security got me out of there.

But anyway, what do you do, if besides your best judgement, you wind up in a fight and you have a handgun on you (legally)? If there's only one assailant, can you draw to warn them off if they knock you down (worst case scenario)? This is assuming they knock you down and your "friend" pops into sight (your gun gets knocked out of it's holster).

What is the proper procedure?

Quoted: But anyway, what do you do, if besides your best judgement, you wind up in a fight and you have a handgun on you (legally)?

My policy is to do everything possible to avoid a fight. If I'm in a fight, it's because I'm being attacked, not mutual combat.

If there's only one assailant, can you draw to warn them off if they knock you down (worst case scenario)?

If they are threatening me with serious bodily injury or death, I'll return the threat.

This is assuming they knock you down and your "friend" pops into sight (your gun gets knocked out of it's holster).

If my gun is out of the holster and not in my hand, all of my energy is going to be focused on recovering the weapon.

Depends on a lot of factors. To start with, you state laws. This is why its good to have several options available. Learn how to defend yourself bare handed. Learn how to use a kuboton. Lots of things you can do. I dont like having my gun as my only option. If you are in fear of your life or great bodily harm then here you can use deadly force, although for just a parking lot fight you are probably going to be made to look pretty bad. There is one exception. My 119 lb wife against a 200+ lb man is no contest. If he was physically attacking her then she could drop him like a rock and be ok. Not only is he bigger and stronger, all she has to do is say that she was afraid that he was trying to kidnap or rape her. If she does her part, then only her side and that of any witnesses will be heard. Thats the other variable, witnesses. If you have one or two that say that you were the non-agressor and the other person just attacked you, then that helps. In just a fight like this though. If someone hear's you saying the wrong thing and sounding provocative or cussing the other person out, then you will be looked at as escalating the situation instaed of trying to difuse it. Always best to play the peacmaker, regardless of whether you are right or wrong. Sorry this got so long.

There is no good scenerio for getting into a fight & having a gun on you. I was in this very situation a couple of months ago. The bottmo line was I had MORE to risk, i.e. losing my CCW and/or firearm, etc., than I had to gain by whipping that !@#$%^& ass & teaching him some manners.
Looking back in hindsight, someone who's ass I just whipped could claim "I threw down on him" or pistol whipped him or whatever he made up.
The ONLY time a citizen is allowed to use deadly force (firearm) is when life or liberty (kidnapping) are threatened. An asswhipping doesn't count towards this catagory. >gg<

Just curious....at what juncture in the ass whipping you are receiving is it ok to bring your weapon into play?  I do not presently carry, and do realize the possible repercussions of bringing a gun into it, but, I don't see me waiting until I think I'm gonna die to try and take the advantage away, at that point it may be too late.
 
There are several ways to get killed in a fight, ie; bottle over the head, fall to the ground striking your head, heart attack, Very lucky shot to the nose, why risk it?  I won't need my CCW if I'm dead. I guess I would rather risk my permit than my life is what I'm trying to say.

No kidding. However, you are NOT just risking your carry permit. You are risking a felony charge of "aggavated assault", or even "attempted murder". Were I not a black belt (and 6 ft, 180 lbs of nearly all muscle) I would probably draw the gun a lot sooner in the fight. If you are truly skilled,you aren't at all likely to lose the gun, or even get touched, actually. By "skilled", I mean having a truly secure holster, and not being so stupid as to try any high kicks, or any fast footwork on dew, ice, loose gravel, waxed floors, etc, The skilled man won't wear pants that are too tight, shoes that aren't a swift and sure as being barefoot, etc. A felony history removes your ever again legally possessing guns. You can't even be in a house or a car where a gun is. So, even if you don't end up doing prison time, a felony conviction is little, if any better than a whipping. However, if your attacker gets your gun, especially if you have really hurt him, he is pretty likely to shoot you with it, and then, in his desperation  to escape, other people, and it WILL be your fault that he had that gun. You have no way of knowing that he won't kick your head off if he gets you  down, so when you are carrying a gun, you CANNOT allow him to win.

Quoted:
A felony history removes your ever again legally possessing guns. You can't even be in a house or a car where a gun is.

Not true. A convicted felon's spouse can, for example, own firearms in the same house. Gordon Liddy is probably the most infamous felon using this practice.

Quoted: My policy is to do everything possible to avoid a fight. If I'm in a fight, it's because I'm being attacked, not mutual combat. If they are threatening me with serious bodily injury or death, I'll return the threat. If my gun is out of the holster and not in my hand, all of my energy is going to be focused on recovering the weapon.

Well said, and exactly my posture on the issue..

Rick

Wrongo. Liddy just happens to know where ENOUGH bodies are buried to MAYBE get away with doing this. I doubt that he actually risked it during the Clinton years. There are plenty of guys who did and are doing time for being in the same house as a gun, or in a car which had a gun in the TRUNK. It's called "constructive possesion". If you'd like to bet $1000 to make it worth my time, I'll dig up the case histories to prove it. I've seen them in Title 18, 922, if I recall correctly.