Another point to make. Boy you guys are getting my nickels worth today. I'm a firm believer in bullet weight for close encounters of the bear kind. A well designed,constructed, heavy for caliber bullet seems to be the best medicine to cure a grizzly headache.
Many of the old timers are probably familiar with Randy Garrett, founder of Garrett Ammo. Randy is a true gentleman and probably the most knowledgeable guy on the planet when it comes to terminal ballistics on big and dangerous critters. Mr. Garret brought calibers like the .45-70 into the 20th century with his load development. He is also a friend and I trust what the man has to say. He is a firm believer in a heavy for caliber, hard cast bullet at a moderate velocity, and has demonstrated that velocity is not always your friend when it comes to penetration. It can, in fact be counter productive based on science I won't get into here. I have witnessed demonstrations where a given bullet gives less penetration at higher velocities than it does at lower. There have been many a bear, cape buffalo and even larger game harvested with his ammo and he has shown that a 310-320 grain .44 mag bullet at 1000 fps will shoot completely through any bear alive. I load either Laser Cast 310, or LBT 320s at 995 fps second and am comfortable (as I can be) in big bear country. That being said, when I go to Alaska fishing, I usually have a 12 gauge with Brenneke Slugs, slung over my shoulder as well as my 5" model 29 in a Denali chest rig.