I shot a black bear one evening with the .45 ACP handgun I was packing on the job, at the jail where I worked - that evening, doing the prowl job. The black bear, a big male, maybe 300 to 350 pounds or so died insantly, a 260gr. Speer HP in the side of his head. I didn't want to lung shoot him and have him moan/howl - the inmates were sleeping (inside the building) within 40yards of my shot.

The handgun was my IPSC gun at the time, a 1911, 5" Wilson barrel, side-ported slide. The load worked wonderfully, but did not exit. 260gr. Speer driven by 11.2gr. WWpowder (Speer #9, I think) - velocity 960fps. I'd call it good for close in work.

I used the same bullet in my .45 Colt Trapper driven at 1,940fps - shot him in the face - frontal at about 5feet. The bullet turned his entire skull & contents into mush. He didn't know I was standing in front of him on the trail - going to walk right into me. Small bear about 175 pounds - good 3 year old.