Had a weightlifting pard from decades ago that had a custom 45-70 wheel gun. When I inquired as to its purpose, he declared, "Home defense." We both laughed and he said that he'd likely not have to shoot a bad guy but just point the business end's big black hole at them to quell any bad intent.

Field carry for bears is another deal entirely. As with most priorities in such matters, the skill/temperament of the one getting charged by a bear with bad intent holds a high place. As does bullet selection rather than pistol case volume.

Read a thread on another forum about big bears and sidearms in AK. Like hereabouts, the opinions were all over the place by those that had never been of personal interest to a big bear. Then an elderly AK guide posted pics and a story that knocked the posers out of contention. He had fishing/hunting clients safely interacting with ursus for decades, until one day he's closely following a husband/wife down a trail through riverside dog hair when he hears a freight train crashing through the adjacent brush. His clients were schooled to drop to avoid the line of fire and the old boy pulled a Glock 17 from his holster and got a few hasty rounds off as it veered its charge just inches in front of the couple. The group backed out to the sounds of some brief thrashing and chilling sounds just a few feet away in the brush. Local game officer arrived and they returned to the scene. The autopsy showed that the man's aim was true and all of the 147 gr. Buffalo Bore Hard Cast bullets dug deep and struck vital plumbing....