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It's never too close to make a hit, (or several of them) but being in touching distance can put you at risk of being disarmed.
Contact shooting is very effective, but not recommended if you have a choice. A handgun is only effecting in the direction it's barrel is pointing. the strength of a handgun over a knife is distance. I knife may be better at kissing range, but it's far more about the man then the tool the man is using.
If you were to be jumped at a distance that put you in physical contact with the enemy, shooting that enemy is a good thing to do. Getting into a punching match or wrestling match with someone when you believe the stakes involve your life is never good. But there is no pat answer.
If hand-to-hand combat would buy you time or distance you might be better off to fight your way to some distance, but fighting a severely wounded man who is dying seems a better option then fighting one that is 100% healthy. If you are 60 and weight 165 and your enemy is 25 and weighs 300 pounds, hand to hand combat may not be as good an option as it is if those ages and weights are reversed.
And remember that a shot to the hip socket or armpit is going to have a very bad effect on your enemy. It may not be instantaneous, but it also can be at times------- and in every case having an enemy bleeding out is going to be bad for him at some point.
I am of the opinion that firing several shots into an enemy even if the hits only go to his feet, knees, thighs or hips is still better then having him take the gun from you and use it on you. If you do shoot at that close range, empty the gun! If it's taken from you it should be empty and the enemy should be more worried about living then winning.
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