I'm with everyone else here: My gun will be in MY hands!
I may not be an expert shot, but I know I can stop a lethal threat to my life. I know my mindset, too. I know that if someone is trying to kill/seriously injure me, I'm not going to hesitate or second-guess. I'm going to take action, and I'm going to do it NOW!
Will my friend have the same mindset? He may say he does, but I'm not him, and I'm going to trust what's in my head rather than trying to guess someone else's probable actions.
Also, why DOESN'T he have his own gun with him? When I'm at the range, whether alone or with someone else, there's always one on my hip while the other is being shot (.38 carried while practicing with the .45, and vice versa).
Just seems like plain ol' common sense to me.
-38SnubFan