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On topic, if I had to choose between training in a firearm and training in martial arts, I would pick PROPER training with a gun. By 'proper' I mean full spectrum training to include retention techniques. As competatent retention techniques wander into the realm of unarmed HtH, I suppose I am crossing the boundaries and not answering the question properly.
If I am limited to purely learnign only how to shoot accurrately (a bad idea alone) with absolutely zero HtH skill, or competent HtH training with no gun training whatsoever, I would opt, again only in this limited format, to go with HtH training. It is far more useful in the vast majority of cases.
In the Real World, I've done both, plus spent a fair amount of time working with knives. Frankly, I see it as the responsibility of any person that carries means to escalate level of force to absolutely, positively also possess intermediary levels of force.
It is illegal to escalate force in a self-defense situation. If a mugger threatens to punch you, you are not legally permitted to shoot the mugger in self-defense. (It is possible to have mitigating circumstances, usually due to significant size, age, and gender differences. Your grandma is more likely to get away with putting a slug into a 6'7" 19 yr old attacker even if he is unaramed as that level of force counts as deadly to a little old lady in probably frail health). As such, one is as helpless against an unarmed attacker as you would be without the weapon, IF you choose to properly follow the law.
In my case, Sombo and Kali-Silat are an intermediate level of threat that I possess. The gun, that I (legally) carry if I see a good need to, is another.
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