i can't say i know much about guns, but i will support the bear mace because i've heard the same things from pretty much every bush expert i worked with out in northern bc. bears have really senstive senses (oh my) and they're much more likely to be enraged from a poorly aimed shot and continue an attack than they would from being blinded and burnt in the nose and ears, which will stop them pretty much immediately. grizzly bears are insanely aggressive and can push 800 or so lbs. and run at about 35mph, so unless you've got a perfect shot on them, they won't stop for a small injury. furious grizzlies are more dangerous than regular angry ones.