Guns that can kill a bear, HAM radio. Your pack must be heavy! I have no doubt you are well trained in handling a gun and shooting it off appropriately. I think each area should be considered separately. If you go to Alaska, then by all means the gun may be appropriate. Most other places in continental USA the gun (and HAM radio) are overkill (no pun intended). I am sort of a geek - I look at numbers - statistically the chance of getting hurt by a bear in most USA wilderness areas is really small. I just am not willing to add all that weight to my pack when the statistical odds are so low. I have run into bears a LOT. On one trip I ran into 8 bears in 3 days. I am reluctant to even carry bear spray. I carried the spray this summer because everyone recommended it - never even saw a bear - big waste of $$ and added weight to my pack. I have yet been talked into carrying SPOT. If I wanted 100% security I would not backpack at all.

From the way you are posting (if I am wrong, sorry) it sounds like you are viewing the wilderness experience as advisarial - man vs bears, need for instant communicantions. I just do not see it that way.

As for rules, it seems a lot like the medical marijuana law here in California - state allows, feds do not - lots of inconsitencies and confusion. Since the gun issue is not the same in all locations, I would get the information from the horses mouth - talk to local law enforcement. Lots of stuff you dig up in the internet is not correct.