Originally Posted by Dirty Harry Callahan

First of all, Black Bear are the least aggressive of Bears, and will usually shy away from humans unless they're starving or defending their cubs, so the likelihood of one "thinking of sampling your leg" is relatively slim.
Furthermore, obviously you're free to carry whatever you want, that's your prerogative, I was merely stating my opinion that .44 Magnum is excessive because they can and have been stopped by less powerful cartridges, so .357 Magnum, .44 Special, or .45 Long Colt seem like better choices since they're typically easier to shoot, thus making them easier to train with, and hitting a bear that's charging straight at you at full speed is going to be difficult. The power of .44 Magnum is wasted on the dirt if you miss, and you aren't likely going to have time to fire off a second shot, so in my opinion since Black Bears can be reliably stopped by less powerful cartridges which are easier to shoot/train with, in my opinion, they are superior options.