Haven't heard about anything with the snakeshot andports, but if you are loading for bear, you want heavy, fast, hard-cast bullets with the widest front end you can find.

Expanding loads, even a 44mag, may not penetrate deep enough through all the bear's hide, fat, bone, and muscle to get into thesquishy stuff. The most important properties in a bullet for this useare that it stays together all the way in, and that it actually GOES all the way in. Thisrequires of course, lots of weight for momentum, lots of speed for energy, and one tough-a$$-slug to deal with it all. They are a handfull to shoot, but it beats getting mauled.

As far as alternating ammo, I think that's a poor solution, since if you need the bear stuffers, you'll need every round you can squeeze off to be the right kind of load, and God help you if you even need one.

I'd say havesnake shot in 1 chamber only, and carry some snake reloads and refill that chamber after its used. Youcan take a second morecarefully aimed shot at a snake with the magnums, but you'll get no second chance with a bear if you hit him with the light stuff. Maybe the muzzle blast and fireball might even relocate the snake and buy you some time.

A second small gun with snake shot would solve your problem perfectly if that is an option, leaving the 44 for serious business. Even 22 mags have a decent rep against the belly-crawlers.

Hope you never need either one.
-Bulz