Of course there is a time and place for a firearm, but I doubt if very many people would be very good at defending themselves with a pistol if they were in an exciting situation. As most people that have earned a CIB (Combat Infantry Badge) the hard way, I know that most people can not hit a barn from the inside when they are under extreme stress. Training helps but nobody really knows how they will react until something smelly hits the fan.
I do believe that most people are better off with bear spray when they are in big bear country. A pistol is better than nothing, but a pistol and bear spray would be much better.