$500.00 is a little less than the Circuit Judge, and 7 lbs is a little heavy, but not much.If a bear is menacing you, the louder the better. A 12 guage loaded with 00 Buck, if you stumble into a druggy’s camp, might save your life. Low brass shells for subsistence hunting, isn’t going to be much louder than a 410 and certainly quieter than a 45 colt revolver; I’ve got two. I have to use ear muffs with the revolvers, but don’t with my 45 colt lever action rifle. The space between the cylinder and forcing cone is going to make the circuit judge pretty loud. I’ve never shot one but I’ve never seen a revolver (even a .22) that wasn’t a lot louder than a rifle or shotgun in the same caliber. A 410 shotgun isn’t that great for bringing home game. A 20 guage might be a good compromise between game getting ability and would offer a big reduction in weight. It’s also a popular black bear gun for youth in Alaska, using slugs.