Neal,
I realize my .300 winnie and my .45-70 would do fine against the Big bears as long as I had the right bullet. I also have a .30-06, and that would be marginal, but should be "OK". But I have another caliber I want to mention-and please don't laugh. I shot some winchester ballistic silvertips through my .30-30 into a 4x6 green-treated extra hard square wooden post. It was a brand new piece of lumber-and the bullet went clean through! Now, I know from my research that the Big bears have about 7 inches of fur and whatever before you get to the vitals, but I've also read that a .30-30 with the right bullet is better than any handgun (besides maybe a .460 S&W or a .500). But, isn't that "personal ballistics test" kinda revealing to the power of a .30-30 and the right bullet as a backup gun for a last resort? Or don't even cosider it?
Thanks, Max Meyers