I have used 140 gr. JHP and 158 JSP with conventional cup and core construction fired from a 4" barrel model 19 on mule deer bucks at ranges of about 50 yd. Both were one shot kills with the buck running less than 25 yd. when hit. I now consider the .357 magnum (from a 4" barrel) inadequate for mule deer at any range greater than 50 yd.

I generally prefer 158 gr. JSP to any JHP or hardcast on game larger than a coyote. When fired from a 4" barrel, a typical JSP will be traveling too slowly at impact to get much expansion. The expansion I have seen has been minimal with little or no mushrooming (expanded diameter from .40 to .45) This is near perfect performance IMO, since greater expansion would probably limit penetration. These minimally expanded JSP often penetrate nearly as well as hard cast, but I have no doubt that a properly designed hard cast will penetrate deeper than any expanding bullet.

Speer advises in their most recent manual that Speer JSP require an impact velocity greater than 1300 fps to achieve optimal mushroom type expansion. They recommend JSP over JHP in carbines for greater penetration.

Hornady XTP bullets are HP, but they usually hold together and penetrate as well as JSP produced by some other companies.

I consider a .357 with 4" barrel inadequate or barely adequate for black bear except in an emergency. Yes, I know that it has killed many black bear over the years, it's all about shot placement, a .22 LR will kill with proper shot placement, etc., etc. But there are many better choices which will give you a greater margin of safety.