I read "hand" as "within about 20 yards".  Close enough to charge and swipe, or toss a grenade and get to cover, but not to blow across a good hundred or so yards (pistol/shotgun range) and avoid getting shot.

Video games are absurdly poor examples of the behavior of real weapons.  Grenades can be thrown to about 30 yards max, while a shotgun with a good stock and decent barrel can have an effective range out to about 100 yards (the same as a pistol, or actually a bit longer).  The shotgun in video games has a truly stupid spread because it's "interesting" or what people "expect"; in reality, buckshot doesn't spread much beyond about two feet in diameter (a bit bigger than a dinner plate, say), even from a sawed-off.  The real limiter in range is how well you can aim the thing; with no stock or front sight you're not hitting much beyond spitting distance.

Also, hi.  :)