The very first thing that came to mind when I read your post was, “Well how is she going to fire double action?” Perhaps it might be a better idea to get her a can of OC Spray to use as her first reaction. Can she cock a Chiefs Special okay?
Gosh, you need to do some heavy thinking on this subject. Get her on a day when her hands really hurt and ask her to dry fire a Chiefs Special five times. If she can’t do that then it is time to put the gray matter into high gear.
You might have your wife try out a Beretta Tomcat. It has a tip-up barrel, which makes for easy chambering - no racking required. If her hands are small, the trigger might be a bit of a reach though.
Consider a North American Arms .22 Mag.
It’s a tiny single action 5 shot revolver. It weighs almost nothing and cocks and fires easily.
People will mock the .22 Mag but the first rule of gunfighting is: have a gun.
A .22 Mag that she will carry and can shoot will do more for her than a .38 she will be tempted to leave home or can’t shoot if she has it with her.
I got one as a summer gun because I can put it in the pocket of a pair of short pants when it’s 106 degrees and nobody knows it’s there. But I can bust a cap on a thug before he knows I’m strapped.
I now carry it summer and winter. I slip it in my pocket when I put my money and wallet in my other pockets and it is never in the way. Nor am I tempted to leave it at home “just to run to the store” like I was with bigger heavier guns.
In your wife’s situation, it may be just the gun she needs.
See post #15-the Tomcat’s slide doesn’t have to be “racked”. The barrel actually lifts to load the first shell.