Years back, there was this study conducted by USF&W about what rifle/cartridges would do the best job of protecting their workers in bear country. It ended up as an article in Rifle magazine (IIRC). (Was a guy named Thelonius the author?)
I can't recall the precise order of how the cartridges were ranked...and also the study was conducted mostly with factory C&C bullets and based on expansion, penetration, etc etc..
Those conducting the study concluded that the first few "winners" were the 460 Weatherby,the 458 Win,the 375H&H,the 338,and the 30/06.Mostly these conclusions were based on the use of the heaviest factory load bullets, i.e.,500 gr for the 45's and 300 gr for the 375 and 338.In the 30/06 the 220 was top dog.
The 30/06 with 220's ranked higher than any 300 magnum or 7mm magnum because it was felt that at close range, from the magnums,penetration was compromised too much by excessive expansion even with the heavier bullets,due to higher velocity.
The 30/06 is no punk cartridge.
I have never shot a charging brown bear with anything. Both of mine were shot with 375's and did not get a chance to charge.
I bet that people with real experience on charging brown bears are about as abundant as really proficient 1000 yard elk shots....maybe scarcer.
