The armed criminal has the advantage over you... He is determined to get away... He knows he a "dead man" and therefore he is willing to kill you to get you out of his way.
In the civilian scenario he will more than likely try to run...
But if he can't get away he will fight harder to kill you than you will to kill him.
So, if you are not PRE-disposed to killing him... RUN!
My J-Frame is carried
ONLY when I can't carry my automatic.
If you are not confident that you can
place your first round right where you want it... and then follow it with two more... then you need more bullets. Or you need to be very quick to reload.
No, I'm sorry, I have never heard of, or read about, a civilian who was killed because he ran out of ammo.
You must be able to "hurry up to slow down" in a crisis... If you don't know what this means... find out, because in the crisis, your brain needs to shift into "slow motion" and direct your muscles to move quickly and steadily as if you were not in danger at all and totally in charge...
Only mental visualization and physical practice, at home, and on the range, added to experience, can get you ready for that.
After your first
"near death experience" (assuming you survive it) you will be a whole different person when it comes to a crisis.
My wise old Mother was fond of saying "timing is everything", but, when the timing sucks, I think a calm mind is pretty darned important.
The fact that you are questioning, gives
you an edge...
May fortune smile on you.