I live on 20 wooded acres butted up against county hunting land..I am away from home some evenings and during the day at times...looking for a carbine for my wife that has to be able to do a number of things...varmints coons, skunks, occasional coyote, (2) legged predators when I'm away...my wife is not real big but an outdoors type gal...she is not  recoil shy but 308 is too much and the weapon too heavy..she has a high cap 40 that she likes and she like ARs...and prefers a fixed stock..so its gotta have a fixed short stock a light of some sort short light chrome lined barrel..got to come up quick be well balanced and the optics have to work every time be simple and visible at night in flash light mounted on the weapon...Ive got a preban colt HBAR Id like to use because of the big pins I would like to stick with that until I can find a big pin flatop upper..Im looking for parts and sources open to any and all suggestions...thanks for your help it is greatly appreciated it...

try the parts listing in the equipment exchange.
the  colt lt. wt. post ban carbine would be perfect,IMHO.considered buying it but I already have a similar config.

Bushmaster has a nice M4 style carbine out there too.  If that is the sort of thing you are looking for.  I have a short shotgun with low brass shells for my wife.  It will stop a intruder and it does not kick like a mule when shot.  It is also about $400.00 cheaper then a new AR.  If that is all that you are looking for...

What I would do would be to buy her a Bushmaster post-ban M4 set up. If you could, I'd order it without the fixed tele-stock stock, buy a separate pre-ban tele-stock, and have it permanently fixed at the perfect length for her shooting style.

That way, you get a GREAT AR that's cheaper than a Colt, and it would be pretty much custom fitted for her, and fully legal.