A light weight .44 mag is not really a good idea, if such a thing is made. The last thing you want with a heavy load is a light handgun.

There is one the Smith&Wesson Model 329 PD. It weighs 25.1 ounces (empty) or at least what I consider light weight compared to the other 44 mags weighing 40 ounces or more (empty). I have heard that if you switch the woods grips out to some type of rubber grip the recoil is no where as bad. Still a good amount but not as painful.
But also look at it like this how many rounds do you think you will be able to get off and put those rounds on target while a bear is charging at you? Noting this bear is bounding with his heading bobbing around and a bear can cover 50 yards in as little as 3 seconds. Will you even be able to draw the weapon an at least get a round off? Me I couldn't do it unless I practice a lot. Also that adrenaline will be running so you will likely not notice the recoil just like how a lot of us never notice the recoil when we shoot an animal or at least I don't but I sure as heck notice it at the range.

It isn't how many you can get off, it is how many you can hit the target with. As Bill Hickok said, you cannot miss fast enough to make up for poor shooting. Anyone who carries a handgun and does not practice regularly and under stressful conditions is just enjoying false security. A handgun requires practice to be good and if you are going to use it for bear security you should practice on a target moving rapidly toward you as well as other types of stress inducing things such as someone with a stop watch giving you time constraints and practice reloading under stress as well. Just carrying a handgun for bear rotection and not being good with it is about as good as carrying a Louisville slugger, perhaps not even as good.

Oh yeah training is key. I should've clarified, I get sidetracked at work and forgot where I left off. What I meant was when I said how many rounds do you think you will get off. I was referring in correlation to carrying a light 44 mag. You won't be able to get enough off to matter for the recoil of the light weight 44 mag so that first one will probably be the only one you can get off whether you carry a light 44 mag or a heavy one. Apologize about the confusion.

Something to figure in your calculations. Near half speed, say around 20 MPH, a Bear or Hog is going to be covering 10 yards a second.

Just thinking out loud. Chances are the pucker factor is going to be high, chances of missing the first shot probable. And factor in handgun stopping power and it is likely to take more than one hit just to get it's attention.

I want something with low recoil or you may never get a second shot.

I want something I can shoot with one hand if I have to. Large caliber magnums are hard to shoot one handed and even slower to recover from recoil one handed.

The best handgun is likely to be different for each shooter.