ORIGINAL: i shoot stuff
iv heard that one of the best ways to stop a bear from getting u while u hunt is not to go for a kill shot. go for the front or back legs to disable it. then take a vital shot. also have someone to back u up!
Not the kind of theory that I'd like to test ...
A .54caliber inline with a three pellet Triple-7 load , 400 grain Buffalo Bullet , and a musket cap/nipple. Cap sealedwith candle wax and a finger cot on the muzzle . This caliber is more than adequate since it was developed with large and potentially dangerous game such as grizzlies in mind . My brother once shot a 3" thick red cedar sapling in half at 30 yards with one of mine with a 100 grain Pyrodex RS/.530 roundballload, it would surely fell a bear at longer range .