There are all kinds of shotguns you can choose from when it comes to self defense or hunting. The only thing shotguns have in common is they do a lot more damage to your target than traditional handguns. Most people these days use shotguns more for hunting rather than self defense, but there are still some old school gun enthusiasts who use shotguns for both. You might think that it doesn’t matter which shotgun you use for self defense, but there are some differences between certain shotgun types that could affect your decision.