I use Buffalo Bore 44 Mag 340 grain hard cast flat nose at 1,425 fps. Compare that to their 10mm 220 grain hard cast at 1,200 fps and there really is no comparison.

Everything I’ve read (that I trust) said hard cast bullets for that very reason

4" so as not to be too cumbersome

My alaskan side arm is a Ruger blackhawk in .44

good luck with his hunt

Several years ago a long time guide in Alaska said his heavy like 200+gr hard cast bullets with a large meplat were the choice for him and his daughter. He wrote the way to stop a bear on the spot is a CNS hit with enough to penetrate head or neck and most bullets are not up to the task on the neck from a handgun. They both carried 6 inch barreled 357s and had both used them to stop bears. He said they preferred the 357 over larger magnums due to recoil and faster recovery for additional shots if needed plus something to the effect of you could be mauled or killed by a dead bear that just doesn't know it yet.

what I used when hunting hogs

thanks every one, lots of good info, this kid ( not a kid any more ) made marine sargent in 31 months, set school record in hight school wrestling, undefeated two years, I don't worry about him getting proficient with any weapon, personally I like the idea of the chest holster, and a short barrel shotgun. again, I really appreciate all the sincere comments, it was on my bucket list, but the wore out back said NO

When I graduated college, my Dad took me on a caribou hunt, so we wanted to carry pistols for bears. Our guide told us whatever caliber you carry better start with at least a 4, lol. I carried a .45 LC in a chest rig, and my Dad a .44 mag in the same chest rig.

There's a dealer in Waxahachie who a year or so ago was selling Ruger Bisley Super Blackhawks in 454 Casull for about $795. I couldn't resist. Really top of the line I use the 300 grain loads.

just got through reading 10mm vs 44mag, I was surprised, 44mag

By a substantial margin.

Like I said earlier, there's really no comparison.

No comparison in energy- but there's a few good reasons already listed that many are making the switch to semi 10mms

If you get into an argument with a bear he will not give you time to think it through. You will react based on your training.... less the pucker factor. So many of us get guns that we cannot effectively train with. If you cannot train through 100 rounds in a couple hours then your gun has too much recoil, blast, weight or whatever. Can you do it twice a week for a month before the hunt to be very fast, very sure and very accurate? Have you trained in rain, wind, twilight, etc? Bears do not offer fair fights.

IMO the correct answer is the most powerful handgun that you can master the above with. I have a nephew who is virtually recoil proof so his selection will be a LOT different than mine. I don't care what you pick but my choice is precisely a G40 with 200gr hardcast bullets. For me, it meets the above requirements better than anything else. The G20 is a second but the G40 eats recoil like my grand kids eat candy. Fast followup shots are much easier.

Edit to add... Couple guys mentioned using 6" 357 revolvers. With the above criteria these are a near perfect solution.

While hunting, I wear a Glock 20 in 10mm. 200 gr XTP alternated with 200 gr FMJ.

I can shoot a Glock better than I can shoot a revolver.

I'd take the same rig to bear country.

(I need to add the TL7 to it.)

Ruger Alaskan in 44mag or 454 casuall in a Alaskan guide holster as been suggested.
If 44mag is not enough the 454 casuall 250 grain to 300grain @ 1400 to 1500fps ought to be.
I carry the 44mag for night hunting pigs .sent it off and had big dot trinium front sight installed.
Just put the dot on what you wish to whack.
It's a great snubby

I go to Alaska yearly to hunt with my friends in Ketchikan. I carry a Colt Delta Elite 10mm with Buffalo bore hard cast bullets. I used it on a 400# wounded black bear a few years ago and it dropped it in its tracks. I had shot a good boar on a tide flat with my 300wm. It ran into the undergrowth. We went in to look for it after a while and I saw it lying about 30 feet from me. I yelled at my buddies that I had found it, to my surprise it wasn't dead. It stood up and started moving at me. I didn't have time to shoulder my rifle. I pulled the delta and hit him with 5 out of 6 rounds. The last one in the head. He piled it up.

To me it's more about having a gun you are comfortable shooting than it is anything else. it took a hit to the computer to put it down. Bears can soke up body shots and keep moving.

Bases on the OP's last post, I think he made the obvious best choice.

Well if the OP wants to hear something objective rather than subjective he can look here: https://www.outdoorlife.com/guns/best-bear-defense-handguns/

The author has more time in alaska and killed more bears than probably anyone in this thread... combined. If it's TLDR; two camps (10mm semi and big bore revolver)-- he provides the pros and cons to each and then his personal choice (hint: its small, semi and 10mm... with a light)

Doesn’t anyone carry a 12 gauge with a short barrel and tactical stock? Are slugs not a good bear stopper?

Key word there.

A pistol goes in a holster. Everyone is already carrying a rifle. Who's gonna carry two long guns?

Vaild point, hopefully his recoil management and training is at your level. I know mine ain’t but also why I downsize calibers.

OP no expert but even a black bear in shoulder with 300wm/rum/wby etc and its going a good ways, you pop mid body which is both lungs with a 139 gr 6.5 MM bullets its normally done in under 3 seconds. Id me more worried about rounds on target then ft/ lbs of energy.

What ever you get him, get him 300 plus rounds to send down range before he goes

Seems like there’s a misconception that there’s going to be pistol shots put on a brown bear at some kind of distance. In a bad situation, everyone is going to use their rifles and that is correct. The pistol is just in case everything else has gone horribly wrong.

no misconception here, why I mentioned barrel length and draw ability in first post. my point was you arent dropping even a blk bear DRT with a 300mag if it is not or spinal or brain, but its not hard to get to the organs.

pull your service pistol and let me know how much quicker and more accurate you are then with big wheel gun at 8-10 yards. This being general statement, you spent a lifetime shooting for or in high-stress situation so you are what I personally would call the bar. Very few would get even 1/50 of your performance with either weapon but most would be closer with your service pistol.

Point was only way you are dropping a Bear DRT is spine or brain. Its been proven capacity and accuracy with hard cast in any 38 cal or larger including 9mm +p is adequate.

what ever he gets him, I hope he spends lots of time getting very handy with it before hand

A grizzly can run up to 35 mph which translates to 17 yards per second. Surprise a grizzly at 20 yards, you basically have just over a second to kill it or make it turn. Surprise a grizzly at 30 yards and you have about a 1.75 seconds to kill it or make it turn. You get the idea.

Folks need to focus more on speed of their draw and fast accurate (80-90%) CNS shots rather than bullet diameter and its velocity. A hand cannon that can level T-Rex is worthless if you cannot draw it and get an accurate shot off before the bear is on you.

If you can draw your handgun of choice and get 80-90% CNS hits consistently in 1-2 seconds, then kudos. If not, keep practicing and/or drop down in power.

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A light is nice as you may not be able to get a head-lamp in play. Do get one better suited to the environment (ex: Streamlight TLR-7A) rather than one for the house (ex: Streamlight TLR-6).

A laser trainer for your rifle and handgun, combined with a charging grizzly target, is highly effective at least for significantly reducing "draw" times and increasing first shot CNS hits.

Yessir, this right here. I'll take 15+1 over 5 or 6 every time.