“I don’t mean to hijack this thread, but what would be a good rifle for a small woman, in terms of carrying weight and especially, recoil?”
Brace yourself for a flood of opinions. It would depend on what you intend to use the rifle for. Indoor defense? Outdoor street battles/sniping? Hunting? Target practice? For instance, for short-range work, I have a lightweight carbine that is nimble to swing and aim and shoots .45 ACP pistol bullets with minimal kick, but plenty of knock down power. Some people make a big deal about .45 ACP recoil in a pistol, but in a rifle the recoil is mild. It punches big holes at any velocity. It uses standard and extended Colt .45 magazines. Some people would suggest shotguns for indoor defense, but most of those have greater recoil than my carbine and don’t hold as many rounds. And, as a friend of mine found out, it takes a long time to dig all the shotgun pellets from kitchen cabinets!
Your tactical decision for carbine over shotgun for CQC I also give a hearty thumbs up. The minimal recoil, higher round capacity and faster follow up shots out of a Kel Tec Sub2000 are the reason I sold my pump shotguns. The Sub2k shares same 33 rd happy sticks as my Glock 9mm.
Target practice and outdoor battles, if it comes to that. I already have a handgun for indoor defense. Thank you for the info!