what caliber would stop a bear
If you choose a rifle for bear protection, go with a repeating or double-barreled rifle in a recognized bear stopping caliber. Mainstream caliber/bullet weight choices range from .30/180 grain up to .45/500 grain. For stopping an aggressive bear, a projectile with a high SD is generally recommended. Examples of common rifle calibers and bullets that are recommended for shooting the great bears include the .30/200 (SD .301), .338/250 (SD .313), .35/250 (SD .279), .375/270 (SD .274) and .45/400 (SD .272).