u/ManICloggedtheToilet

I'm looking for a reliable firearm for both concealed carry and home defense. I'm comfortable shooting, but have never owned a firearm. I am interested in an all-around capable and reliable firearm for both myself and my wife to use.

Beyond the style, I'm interested in the 80x due to the reliability, presumed lighter recoil for my wife, long-lasting durability, and thorough safety features. The concerns I've read online cite the gun as being more fun than functional, especially for the price. I've also heard that it's not really lighter on recoil due to the straight blowback, so that benefit to .380 might not 100% be present. I like the larger frame for comfortability sake, but if the recoil is comparable to a 9mm then it really doesn't matter.

Given what I'm looking for, is the 80x still a good fit? I'm not familiar enough with firearms to assess if the .380 downgrade is worth the reliability and durability upgrades. Some folks online say .380 is more than sufficient and that 9mm purists are snobs, whereas others say that .380 is a death sentence if your assailant is armored in a winter coat.