RE: Ruger-- Savage rifles???????????????
Also from WI, your choice of caliber sounds good, have you thought of a .25-06? Both of my cousin's daughters began shooting them at age 12 (he bought each of them one, both are Savage) and they love them. I helped with the sighting-in process on theyoungest daughter. What a sweet shooting little gun and very accurate and does a great job on bucks around here. Myself I shoot a ruger MkII as did my father. Also a great gun.
Question? Having shotmy mom's BAR .270 when I was much younger and smaller (I was only about 85 lbs at 12-13 years old) I would say that your daughters could shoot it (about the same recoil as the .257 Roberts that I had). I would put on an aftermarket butt pad like Kick Eze or Sims just to be safe.