For an update: am leaning toward buying a Savage Axis XP compact for her, in 6.5 Creed. Got a good-but-not-great deal on a new one from a local source and can make it a Christmas present. Iffy reviews of the Mossberg Patriot Bantam and on the Ruger American clip/magzine are influencing me. I may figure out a way for her to shoot or at least handle a Ruger and an Axis before we buy. Hope so.
She has shot a .30-06 without daunting her (don't know bulllet weight) but she told me she has trouble holding up a full length bolt rifle for very long in a stand-up off hand position.
