10mm is The Ultimate Handgun Cartridge for Hunting and Personal Defense

[Rojo27]

https://www.wyofile.com/10mm-glock-fully-functional-in-fatal-grizzly-attack

We get these "best handgun" for Grizzly threds pretty often. The discussions are super easy to find here and contain a wealth of knowledge & wisdom.  Could easily attached a number of similar anecdotal recent grizzly attack stories where the bear was stopped when hunter, hiker or outdoorsman utilized a 10mm to end the attack decisively.  Also find stories of hunters fatally wounded by Grizzly while carrying .375 or something similar.     

10mm with the right ammo is a very popular sidearm choice by people who venture out into Alaskan wilderness.  As Sqlbullet pointed out similar story in NW & Mountain West.  I myself have spent considerable amount of time hunting, fishing, camping & horseback in bear country of Mountain West and on most of those occasions also carried Glock 20 with 15+1 of 200gr hardcast on my person as last line of protection.  I have any number of other choices including 454 Casull, 44 Mag Ruger Super Redhawk and 357 mag S&W 686  but most often choose the 10mm for all around attributes vs the others when in bear country.  No problem if someone else arrives at a different conclusion, long as they carry their own freight.

Bella Twin took a world record sized Canadian Brown Bear with a single shot Cooey Ace 22 rimfire.  Not saying I could have done it but she did.  Phil Shoemaker took out a huge charging Alaskan Brown Bear in 2016 with a short barrel, single stack 9mm.  Not saying I could have done it but he did. 
If I was hunting for Grizzly or Brown Bear with a sidearm, I'd sure make a different selection.  However, for application discussed in the article I'm comfortable with the proper ammo choice and 10mm. 
YMMV. 

[Kenk]

Absolutely, Thanks Rojo

[Muskrat]

Another factor people seldom consider is that a handgun...any handgun, is what you have with you when you had no expectation of needing a gun at all, since if you thought you needed a gun you'd have grabbed a long gun. So for a handgun to be of any value at all, it has to be worn all the time. While making breakfast, gathering firewood, pitching the tent, going off  to dig a cat hole, etc.. Size and weight matter...a lot.

When Phil Shoemaker killed a grizzly with a 9mm, he wasn't carrying a 9mm because he thought it was a great choice...he was carrying it because he thought a bear encounter was unlikely, and he was tired of lugging around his 3lb .44 magnum.

[Kenk]

He won't make that mistake again 😀

[Muskrat]

Haha...actually, I bet he does. He's getting older, the hills are getting steeper, and guns are getting heavier, and every gram you cary is a step you don't get to take.

Even in prime grizzly habitat it's extremely rare to have a confrontation, and arguably the boar he shot didn't even need to be shot. It was very close to one of his clients, but it wasn't attacking, just agitated. Had the client been armed with bear spray, shooting likely wouldn't have been necessary.

[G29Guy]

I try not to get too emotionally involved in the bear debate.  Most of my outdoor activity is outside of the Grizzly zone.  We have lots of black bears, but they are rather small compared to the ones out East, oddly enough.  I do occasionally go into grizzly country, and I bought a Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley in .45 Colt.  I cast my own 300 grain bullets for that application and load them hot.  It literally hurts to shoot and I have to wear a glove when doing load development.

For 99% of my carry needs in wolf, black bear, and cougar country, my G29 with a 4.5" KKM barrel, Dawson sights, and X-Grip adapter is absolutely perfect.

[Rojo27]

Just happen to catch this.  Alaskan hunter talking about 10mm popularity explosion by outdoorsmen in that state.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZJVF5PWtq8

[45BBH]

I love the 10mm, I have a number of them but that being said, for dedicated hunting, one would be better served by something like a .44 Magnum.   I do get that the G20 and even G40 are smaller than most .44's and hold more ammo, and especially for a dedicated hunting handgun against potentially dangerous game, a 44 will serve anyone better.   Around here the biggest game I'd hunt would be whitetail deer, so the 10mm is fine, but it wouldn't be my main gun against something nasty, maybe backup at best.