That’s a constant debate up here. Most carry at least a .44 mag. Of course shot placement and luck has a lot to do with it. Shotguns and rifles are superior but you can’t always have one on you.
I’ve only had to pull mine once, and luckily it was a bluff charge, the Bear stopped just short of me. I was in the process of cocking my single action Ruger when he stopped, if he’d a kept coming I might of been able to get 1 shot before he would have been on me. Now, I carry a double action revolver. Bears move fast, real fast.
From what he was saying, I think Ryan is going to usually have a heavy-caliber rifle or shotgun when he goes out in the woods but this is going to be his emergency backup.