How tall is your wife?

Has she gone shooting before?

You need to take into consideration her size, large or small, when choosing a long gun.

First thing is to get her to a good Sporting Goods Dealer so that she can try out different guns. Fit is everything, especially if you are hoping to have a hunting / shooting partner for life. If the gun does not fit then it will kick like a mule and she will not be able to shoot it well.

Go to the store with an open mind. Don't get hung up on brand or price just yet. Try as many guns as you can because they will all fit different.

Now that you have a list of what fits, now it is time to sort them out by price, brand, etc.

Buy what fits over price or brand preference.

Just my $.02

Good Luck!