Has she spent any time shooting the Contender already? Is that what your 223 is on? My daughter never did get the hang of using my Contender carbine. It was just too much for her. First, she didn't have the hand size or strength to open it, even with the "cheater bar" that bolts to the lever. Then, she kept forgetting to either cock the hammer, or switch the hammer block off on the hammer, loud "click", and then she's stuck staring at it not sure what to do. I'd have to come over and "fix" it for her, and game is long gone.
The 7-30 sounds like it could work, but plan on loading it down for her. Lighter weight bullets loaded to less velocity, to lower the recoil level. Something very important but often overlooked for kids is stock fit. The buttstock MUST be sized to fit her, not you. If it doesn't "fit" her, it's going to amplify the recoil, and she'll end up thinking it kicks like a mule and hate shooting it. I had a composite buttstock cut down and a recoil pad put on it by a local smith here. He built up the inside of the stock to take the screws for the pad. If your barrel is a full bull, it may end up being too nose heavy for her. Not that the overall weight of the gun is too much, but that the center of balance is too far forward for her to comfortably hold up in a shooting position. My daughter started off with the 23" full bull barrel in 6.8 spc, but it was way too nose heavy for her. I got her a really light 18" bbl from Ladobe that balanced much, much easier for her.
I know what you mean about scope clearance, it's tight on the carbines. I normally use the dual dovetail bases and rings on mine, with the scopes set all the way forward in the rings as far as it will go. That helps, but it's still a bit close. You may find a 1 piece base, weaver style, with rings set all the way forward may work better. If you're loading the rounds for reduced recoil, it will lesson the risk of scope eye also.
For scopes, a decent variable now, and you'll not have to change it at any time in the future. Something along a 2-7 or 3-9 and she's set for life. I had a Nikon pro staff on her carbine barrel, and put a Pentax pioneer (made by Burris) on her "deer rifle". Her 22 lr has a fixed 4x Leupold on it. her "deer rifle" is a Savage weather warrior.
I like either the Nikon pro staff or buckmaster series of scopes for kids. Plenty of clarity (I also have a buckmaster on my 'yote rifle), and not too horribly expensive, plus a lifetime warranty which may be important for a lifetime of hunting...
