I have shot a .338 Win Mag, .338 Ultra, .375 H&H, .378 Wby, and a .460 Wby. In my opinion, the .375 is the most comfortable of the bunch to shoot, and I have a fairly lightweight .375. The others have a more pronounced "jab" associated with their recoil.

The for a big-thumper, the old .375 H&H is tough to beat. Bullets are cheaper than the .40+ calibers, and there are lots of varieties & weights available. Brass is relatively easy to find, and it's cheaper than the Ultra Mag brass. The .375 H&H doesn't require a whole lot of powder either - only about 60-70 grains...compared to 100+ grains for the .338 Ultra. If you are not a reloader, ammo is eaiser to find for the .375 H&H than for many of the other "tumpers".

A friend just returned from Africa. He and his son shot four cape buffalo with their .375's. That tells me it's got enough "thump" for my intended purpose - brown bears.

You'd be in good shape with a .45-70 as well. That's another one that's been around a long, long time....and for good reason.