Take a look at the Styer Pro Hunter "Mountain". I ahve and use this rifle in 308 WIn. and it is a terrific shooter. It has a very nice trigger, excellent accuracy and I like the feel and fit. It has a 20# barrel and weighs about 7.5#, naked. The factory stock has 2 spacers that can be easily removed and reinstalled. This gives you a semi-adjustable length of pull. That might be something important for the fit and feel. As far as cartridge, here's an sort of out of the box suggestion. No doubt a 30.06 Spr., 308 Win., etc. can and has taken many an elk, but if you are looking for a harder hitter. Styer comes in a fine, hard hitting cartridge that is popular in Europe but very much unused here in the US. That is the 9.3x62. The recoil is rather stout, which might be an issue at the range, but if your wife is a "hunter", I lay a dollar to a donut that she'll never feel it when she pulls the trigger on an elk. I have never used this cartridges. Only one guy I know uses this and it is his only rifle ... a Mauser. He has spent the past 35 years or so in diplomatic service. He has hunted in many countries. He has bagged several dang good sized critters including several big bull elk, one heck of a Red Stag and a massive Yukon moose. So, for sure it does not lack killing power. May be too exotic for most, but certainly worth a consideration.

As far as a scope? I asked a buddy what scope was the best for a rifle I was setting up. This was decades ago and was the first time I had really given any real thought to scope quality. His answer has stuck with me. He hesitated a moment and said , "The one that you can afford.". This was his way of saying buy the best that you can. He was spot on then and is spot on now.

In the end, this set up should come in at about your 10# goal.