My short barreled Ruger shoots Hornady 139 grainers very accurately (American Whitetail w/ the Interlock) ---- I haven't shot any animals with them.
I CAN tell there is definitely more recoil with the 140s than the 120 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips that I also shoot. You can get loaded ammo in 120 grain Bal Tips from the Nosler Pro Shop and they would be fine for your wife's uses. They ARE expensive, though.
I agree - for the price, for the recoil and for the performance on deer sized game, the 120 gr NBT is awfully hard to beat. Check out MidwayUSA, they have 120 gr Ballistic Tips for $30.99/box. They also have 4 different 120 gr ammo loads available that should all be more than enough for your planned use.
