Howdy CR,
I just went through that with my Lovely Bride. She decided she wanted to start shooting. We looked around at different guns and she really liked the Ruger Birds-Heads. Like you, I shoot 45's. Took her to the range and she shot my EMF Bisley. "I can shoot 45's" she says, so I bought her a pair of the Rugers. We took them out to the range and she put about 50 rounds down range. She turns to me and says, " I don't like the way these recoil." I now have a new set of Rugers.
:roll:
Went out and tracked down a set of the Ruger 32's with the Birds Head grips and surprised her with them for Christmas. She LOVES them. She even let me shoot them a few times (after I pried them out of her hands
). They are sweet little guns.
So, I guess, after all that rambling I am suggesting the Ruger 32's. :-D