Were I to pack a pistol for bear, It wouldn't be loaded that way. It would be the .38 super loaded hotter than hades with 162 hardcast, or more likely the cz 75 with 15 rounds of canuck military surplus submachine gun 9mm hardball "do not use in wimpy handgun around lawyers" loads that penetrate and penetrate and penetrate - the kind of load that leaves nasty dents in the bianchi plates. If I were ever to fire at a bear, if it wasn't a central nervous system hit it wouldn't matter. Love my .45 but not for that. The only thing that's gonna stop a grizzly at full tilt at 20 yards is a central nervous system hit, or a lungful and eyeful of capuschin spray. The latter is lighter on my belt, and much easier to achieve, even though I am good with a handgun.



I grew up essentially the same jim - my indian roots are about 5 generations removed, but I grew up hunting and still do. I've seen moose and elk wander away poorly shot by idiots and absorb 8 rounds of .30/06. I hold no illusions about a grizzly with a couple of rounds of .44. Your mention of confidence is all important, and I believe the attitude and respect you show based on your confidence in an encounter is all important. Again, that's why I carry what I carry - I am much more confident in it's ability to stop them coming towards me than my pistols would be, and I've probably burned through a couple hundred thousand rounds of handgun ammo over the years.

Not to mention that the spray bomb is darned effective against two legged problems too.