there's a lot of good advice in the previously posted info, I just want to say I have dressed out plenty of deer, elk and hogs shot with handguns
a logical balance between impact energy , on target, consistent and repeatable field accuracy at reasonable ranges,
and rapidity of fire must be found.(this will vary due to the users skill and experience, and the handgun selected)
and I'm a firm believer in using a reasonably heavy for caliber bullet, as the lighter weight jacketed bullets while lethal expand more rapidly and don,t always penetrate well
and at least in my experience Id prefer
a least 44 mag with a hard cast 310 grain lee bullet
loaded over 21 grains of H110 ,As I've shot completely through an elks chest using my 44 revolver and that load,
at about 60 yards.
and would certainly not feel a bit more power was a disadvantage,
as long as you could hit the target repeatedly and instinctively.
but added power at the expense of rapid shot placement accuracy is not the route to take,
realistically you're unlikely to get off more than at most a couple shots , at best,
on a charging bear at shorter ranges so they damn well better be effective,
and you had better be able to ACCURATELY place several rapid repeated shots at under 50 ft ranges.
so a 10mm GLOCK or a 357 mag would be preferable to something larger if it cost you accuracy,
or using something more powerful slowed your rate of fire noticeably
heres a video on a guy using a 44 mag ruger pistol supposedly handloaded loaded with 300 grain 44 caliber hornady bullets