I'm actually thinking about changing my wife over to a 9mm carbine (as soon as I can find the Kel Tec I have in my head) and a Glock 17. I like the idea of her having something with a little more stopping power and interchangeable magazines.

The gun handling isn't an issue. Since my original post, she's come around enough regarding shooting. She's always been a good shot with the low recoil ones. She now has realized that a hard kicking caliber isn't going to kill her, just sting for a second. For some unknown reason, she decided she wanted to try my Mosin-Nagant when I bought it. Ever since, recoil hasn't concerned her. She really loves a 10/22, but I have a hard time stomaching her safety in the hands of a .22 lr. I know the 22 is a mean cartridge considering it's size, but it's a little unsettling to think about.

Regarding the bag, I think we've settled on a medium ALICE pack. As soon as I figure out what that "clunk" in the car is(I'm thinking u-joint, gotta get it in the air and see for sure), the pack will be en route. I may make a trip out of town to look at a sporting goods store first, but it's a 1.5 hour drive to anywhere that sells something like that.

Thanks for the input, I'll let you know what we decide on, and how it works.