I know a lot of people, think small hands=small gun, for the best application, but, felt recoil is more of a problem with smaller guns, you may also want to look into into the mid size to larger framed guns. My wife loves her S&W M&P full size.(she is 5-3 with small hands.) Beretta makes the PX-4 that has a full size grip, and enough weight to help reduce felt recoil. Also working the slide on a larger semi auto, is usually easier. I have also found that prices aren't much different between smaller and larger framed semi autos, with similar features. But again, your wife will have to make the final determination. Like others have suggested, take her where she can handle as many different guns as possible, and then she will be able to pick the right gun for "your" birthday.
It's great to hear your wife will be joining our ranks soon. Have her join the forum, so she can provide some input on her experiences.
