Forget the Speer although it would probably work fine go with a 200-220 Nosler, Woodleigh, North Fork, Kodiak, Swift, Trophy Bonded, or similar. When you are close enough to not only smell the bear but taste it in the back of your mouth nothing will feel adequate. The hair would always bristle on the back of my neck when I was close to big bears. When I was guiding (fly fishing) I carried a 7RM with 175 Noslers but I wished for a .375 several times. Fortunately I never had to use it even with bears as close as ten feet away. Just think about an animal that can take down a full grown moose, run faster than a horse, and has the intelligence close to a dogs, they are formidable.
In fact if bear are going to be more than an occasional thing I would recommend a good medium bore from 338 to 400 with the 375s being about ideal.
By African reckoning true "stopping" cartridges don't start til about .458 caliber.
Last edited by Tejano; 10/09/19.
