NAAAAH, forget that little 44mag. S&W is coming out with a 3" ported barrel 500 S&W.[][]

For black bear protection a .357 magnum with hard cast bullets like Corbons 200 grain hard cast at 1200 fps would be a good choice and not weigh as much and be as cumbersome as a 44 mag and allow quicker follow up shots too.

A 44 mag is also a great choice but you have added weight and a lot more recoil when you don't need or want that recoil for faster shots. Especialy when you are shooting full house hunting loads to dispach a bear.