@Happyjustice4 asked me this question a few days ago. Based on her argument I can only assume it was to lead me into saying the conditioned response of, pick up the gun of course. To which she will say, aha, guns hurt ppl. Is the conditioned response right though?

She is betting on the vast majority saying pick up the gun because we have be told its the most lethal. I mean didn't you see the hero in that blockbuster hand a gun to some scared thing mumble some instructions and they became John Wick. Lets examine the question.

Access to. The only time I would have access to a loaded gun, is at the firing line of a federally licenced gun range. Its loaded because I am about to fire it, at paper. The question therefore is invalid in the real world. Hypothetical it is.

Gun or knife? Since we have all been told, pick up the gun over & over again it must be the only answer. No, if we relied only on justifying things based on conditioned responses neither Happy or I would be voting, gays would not marry and abortion illegal. Both are weapons here.

Both are potentially lethal, based on ability & luck. If I were trained in hand to hand defense I might instinctively pick up the knife, both, or just the gun. What I pick up does not negate the fact both are weapons in so much as both are presented as tools to cause harm.

Skill & luck. Firing a handgun and hitting a target is a learned skill. The likelihood of you actually being successful the first try is not on your side, add the stress and shaking hand of a person who never fired one before odds are against you. The knife might be more lethal.

For someone like me who is new to handguns I might be more successful, but I still flinch, oh did I mention recoil. Darn reality, I still not only miss the bullseye but the whole target. That knife looks like a great backup.

Back to access: knives sit out on my counter, I might even be carrying one. My gun is locked in a safe and the ammo for it elsewhere, not ever loaded. I am a middle aged 5,3 woman up against 2 hefty guys about to do something nasty. Everything within my reach is now a weapon.

Conclusion, the high adrenaline situation of self defense against a overwhelming superior opponent using unrealistic parameters is a great abstract discussion. Kind of like asking who is better the hulk or thor. It neither proves or disproves guns should be banned.