Q: What's pepper spray to a grizzly?
A: Seasoning.
Har Har. I live on Alaska's Kenai Penninsula, and I work in an area that is swarming with bears. The best non-lethal defense against bears, is bear spray. Most people are totally unprepared to place a killing or disabling shot into a bear that is a few feet or yards away, and is closing on them at full speed. They would barely have time to fill their drawers and squeal.
Bear spray testimonials, http://www.udap.com/testify.htm
This stuff is better than a pistol of any caliber