First and foremost, I am not an expert or a concealed carry holder, these are all hypothetical situations, and personal opinions I have gathered from my own reading. You should consult your local, state and/or federal law when deciding on tactics to use in the event you are accosted while carrying your weapon. You should also never provoke potential threatsor anyone for that matter, because you are asking for trouble, and that isn't really defense, now, is it?
Also, to me, "brandishing" is to reveal that you have a weapon by flashing it or holding it casually, and qualifies as a warning. Drawing and aiming counts as an action as you have crossed a line by establishing you are ready to use it. The latter is what I've heard most people do, but usually after a verbal warning. The former is a poor tactic and, while it may deter someone, it might just let them know "hey if I can get his gun.....".
I don't have a statistic to confirm that "brandishing" stops most muggings of CCW holders, but how one handles theirself in a situation that calls for their firearm depends on local law, the threat level as perceived by the victim in question and how that victim thinks they should handle the situation based on the first two. I'm not saying that everyone who harasses you should be shot, but you are responsible for your own actions.
For example, if you're being mugged by someone with no weapon, who is just grabbing you looking for your wallet, using your gun might not be necessary, physical force and a warning might be alright.
If they have a knife, drawing and aiming might be a good idea if they are at a fair distance. If they are too close and you feel they might use the knife to harm you, you can try and get some distance and aim, or try and shoot them point blank, though discharging a weapon invites all kinds of potential legal problems if the laww doesn't consider a knife a big enough threat to ask for a bullet.
If you are accosted by several people, that alone may constitue drawing and aiming your firearm. Again, make sure you have distance between you and your assailants and make sure not to get surrounded or attacked from behind. You don't want them to get around you, beat your ass, take your gun cause you pulled it without checking and then end up dead.
If one or more people directly assaults you for no reason with weapons (knives, guns, something that could potentially harm or kill you), I don't think anyone will blame you for drawing down, or even shooting at them in an attempt to end the conflict with yourself intact.
All situations, and the way you react to them is really touch and go. I reiterate, I am not aCCW holder, a cop, a judge or a lawyer. They will decide your fate if you end up in one of these situations or any other ones that might call for use of deadly force. Know your laws and know yourself.
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