12 gauge at close range = death.
Agreed. Anyone who survives a hit in the upper body from a 12 gauge, or even a 20 gauge with either slugs or buck shot is a very lucky person. At point blank range even bird shot is a single mass. My Mossberg 500 folder stays by the bed loaded with #2 shot most of the time. Good for 2 legged predators inside the house, or 4 legged ones outside here on the farm. And some with no legs, a copperhead snake that decided my yard was a good place to reside got a sample of those #2’s a couple of days ago.