Hello Curt,
I have to agree with Mikey a .357 in a short barreled lever seems to cover what you asked about. My trapper is good to go for anything here in Arizona under 150 yds with a Buffalo Bore as first out of the barrel. Follow up in unknown area are 158 grn lead reloads. (Them Buffalo Bore 125 are expensive) It sort of depends where you are walking. I looked at your posts and you say you have a shortend 45-70 handi. Have you thought about a 12 or 20 guage handi, barrel taken down to 18.5" for you and your wife. I admit it doesn't really need a scope, but you get the option of bird shot, to buck shot, to slugs for a fire arm that covers out to 100 yds. Weight is way below your 7 1/2 limit and you can buy two for the price of many rifles. I cut down a 20 guage single and when the wife and I take the jeep out into back country it is the one I make sure is in the back seat, probably because my little shotgun, 34" long, puts two slugs 1" apart at 50yds.
blindhari