Here is another suggestion: Get your wife shooting more, so that the recoil sensitivity diminishes some. My wife is 5'5" average build, she'll pass on a 7mm-08 every day of the week and pick her lucky 300 wsm out of the rack every day. It is lucky too, got her first elk with it, first buck and many since, and last fall she killed a dandy Shiras moose with it as well. Its a good thing we have 2 freezers.
Also, above all else make sure the rifle fits her well. I put youth stocks on my wifes rifles and that made the difference. Good luck and happy hunting.
