Inside of 3 yards I’d almost (almost) prefer a longsword, or maybe a combat tomahawk and short-sword to a gun. At that range, even the gun has to be already out and ready. It’s too late.
This begs the value of learning some basic ringen techniques (hand to hand combat) unarmed against an armed opponent. At close quarters it is essential to have some idea how to take a knife or gun from somebody. If they have the advantage first, it’s the difference between surviving and dying.
At short range the Spartans preferred a short stabbing spear as did the Zulu tribes. I know the Spartans were real killers but part of that was the support they got from their fellow soldiers.
The ancient Greeks said that man to man they were not that much better than other soldiers.
I remember reading in “All Quiet on the Western Front” that the German soldiers in fierce hand to hand combat preferred their sharpened spades to bayonets.
Like these boys are playing around learning???...walk away... hahahaha