my experience in this area is this
don't waste your time trying to change someone's mind that is made up already, its wasted words on deaf ears!
that being said
I live in a state with bears and had a gun shop for yrs and dealt with countless folks on this subject, on what should be used on bears,
and the basic thing I gather from it all,
is far too many people think bears are some big vicious animal that is out to eat you or other wise harm you, and that means they better have the largest caliber firearm they can handle to shoot at them with!
and many folks actually get scared and fear bears when close to them, so there shooting if way off, NOT helping, but they some how think magically the bigger more powerful caliber will help kill better
and to SOME degree there 100% right!
taking poor shots out of fear, SOME TIMES< not always, a bigger caliber has more shock value, and or better penetration!
is a huge caliber needed for black bears, NO not at all
as stated a killing shot needs to just hit and damage vitals
BUT again, most and I mean thins as nicely as I can, from decades of shooting, training and being about shooters
MOST shooters are NOT half as good as they THINK they are!
most do NOT practice near enough to be good with there rifles , countless only shoot just before a hunt to check zero and that';s IT< if even that!!
its a very small percentage of hunters IMO< that really get involved in shooting, when you look at the BIG picture
SO< based on this info
MAYBE a larger caliber they can handle , does several things
one, it gives them more confidence, which right off the bat, IMO< tends to help most shoot better !
next, it allows again some extra lee way for some maybe poor judgement shots they will take!
and IMO< I would honestly rather a bear hunter have more gun than needed than less!
Most all bear guides I know follow this logic on gun/caliber suggestion when asked(I am personal friends with many bear guides in AK and else where)
but I 100% agree a .308 is more than enough gun for black bears!, as are even many smaller calibers, when using right bullets and shot placement is done right!
if a guy wants a BIG caliber to hunt them, I say, have at it, why try and talk someone out of having what they want??
wasted words, more often than not, folks BUY things they want, due to they WANT THEM!
who are we to say not to!
my 2 cents!