For home use I’d be less concerned with compactness and more with capacity. For concealed carry both are a factor. And nothing wrong with having more than one if your and your girl’s abilities and preferences are different.Yea I should’ve been more specific,
I rather stay away from glocks only because just not a fan of no manual safety .
Yes I plan to conceal carry every once and a while though this will be mainly for the house.
Handguns I’ve considered - tarus Gx4, sig p365, and the M&P 9 shield plus which I’m really steering towards.
Price range is the least of worry’s , mainly something on the lighter compact size
Any suggestions or insight would help
A rifle is honestly a better home defense weapon than a pistol. The pistol is what you use to fight yourself to your rifle in some knowledgeable people’s minds. Depending on where you live, over penetration can be a concern so, as someone else suggested, a pistol caliber carbine might be most appropriate for an apartment dweller vs someone living on 10 acres with no close neighbors.
I’m a Sig fan myself, so from your list I’d choose the 365. The Smith is also a very nice weapon. I don’t own any Taurus pistols so I can’t offer an informed opinion (though I have several of their revolvers and I like them).
If your girl is on the smaller side and recoil is a concern, one of the 22 magnum pistols with a high capacity magazine could be an option. I have one of the 30 round Kel-Tecs and I think S&W now makes something similar. 30 rounds of 22 magnum can be pretty effective against even a determined intruder. Plus they’re a bunch of fun to shoot.
Good luck and have fun with your new hobby.