Handgun or pistol defense against bear attacks
This writer did a good job of compiling a very large number of known cases of successful bear defense with a pistol or handgun, and organizing by caliber.
Undoubtedly some of the accounts of defenses are not 100% reliable. But it's probably the best information we're going to get of an informal type, where it's not something like data compiled by the DNR's of the various states, etc. I was surprised to see how well our common big 3 service calibers did (not suggesting that this means these calibers are 'recommended' for bear defense tho).
Which caliber would you guess was used most commonly for successful bear defense?
https://www.ammoland.com/2019/08/han...-96-effective/