6.5 Grendel and 6 mm ARC would be good rounds to look into. I haven't spent any time with the ARC but have spent a good bit of time shooting the Grendel recently. Even in a light weight rifle the recoil is very low.
You can reduce felt recoil of any round just by adding weight to the rifle. Reduced recoil loads as well. Don't rule out any of the standard short actions rounds if you don't mind using a heavier rifle. That said, if you want a light/handy rifle, the Grendel or ARC in a Howa mini would be tough to beat.
This is How I would roll!
If the op is a reloader Id recommend a bolt action 6mm ARC Would do well IMHO. If you are not a reloader I may go another direction, due to the few factory Ammo choices currently offered in 6mm ARC. Otherwise 6.5 Grendel would do well with a wide range of factory loads & Reloaded options can offer even more great bullet choices.
