My wife is very small(5 feet 3 inches and 100 lbs) and she has no trouble at all killing Missouri deer with her Rem model 7 in 243. If you are still worried about the effectiveness of a 243 step up a step to a 260. Nearly the same speed and range of a 270 but a slightly lighter bullet and much less recoil, also available in model 7. Small and lightweight gun but not so tiny that you cant use it for the rest of your life and be comfortable.