Shotguns are not appropriate for many women. They’re cumbersome, and if you’re petite the recoil can knock you off your feet. In my opinion, the best long gun for a woman is the Ruger mini-14. It’s a powerful .223 that can hold a large-capacity clip, but it’s lightweight, easy to handle, and has almost no recoil at all. A perfect lady’s rifle for home defense.
The original post stated, “... I had a Baretta shotgun...”
If she use to own one and had used it she may have enough experience to evaluate a shotgun as a defensive weapon.
"Powerful" is, of course, a relative term, but your remark made me think "oxymoron alert!" (Relatively) Low recoil also corresponds with (relatively) low power.
Oh, it's magazine, not clip, for the mini-14.