Royce, I am not advocating a 'bear stopper' but feel if it were in my hands - a rifle, and called upon, I can with confidence commence firing with proper loads and know it will get the job done if I do my part. Little margin of error perhaps, but shot placement is paramount with any caliber. 12 gauge with buckshot or slugs or a 350 mag surely would be preferable, but to answer your question - My load (safe in my Marlin) is 19.0 of Lil gun. That powder added a good bit of performance to the 357, esp. in a rifle over previous powders.
I'd assume 1750-1800+ is had with H110/W296, etc. in rifles.
Plinker, I will add that my recollection says, 1) Wesson used an 8 3/8" bbl 2) Loads then were VERY hot, and since been toned down for factory loads
Marksmanship was 95% of the outcome - as I can imagine shot placement was 'EXACT' and we don't know/I don't know what other animals may have been fired upon and not recovered.
That said, the history stands even though I'd imagine Wesson pushed the rounds envelope to prove its capabilities and sell the public on it's utility.
I do recall an article on a guy who was fascinated with a .30 Luger Broomhandle and took bears with it. Combo of high Vel w/jacketed small cal. bullets enabled penetration thru vitals. These feats are surely had when the users were crackshots and placed slugs in/thru vitals leading to success in the field.
Paco has some great reads, seems to love levers, as well as 35s.
