KeithK
IMHO, you're getting the cart ahead of the horse. Focus on getting your wife something with next to nothing for kick and go to town on deer for a few years and then worry about the elk. Start her out with a 243 or 260 and make sure she thrives with it during her beginner stage.

Once she is feeling like an old pro on deer with her "don't hurt me at all" favorite rifle, then if she is feeling salty and wanting to up the ante up to elk, then discuss upping the ante for adifferent rifle for the elkjob. Scale your tools to match the job at hand. Cover first base real good before worrying about second and third and beyond.
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That said, we tooka younglady with uselk hunting last year (along with her father). She was 13 and couldn't have weighed much more than a buck. She used a 30-06 no problem and got her elk with three rapid shots in succession. She did have a lot of spunk.

You, on the other hand, will have to gauge what your wife is capable of handling for elk, BUT I wouldn't worry about it too much right now. First things first.