Buckshot is effective against black bears - small black bear at close range. Solid projectiles ONLY for grizzly and most larger black bears. One of my staff shot a black bear 4 times with buckshot at quite close range and that bear was REALLY ticked off. It took another member walking up alongside the bear and planing a load of 00 in the side of it's head to kill it. The body shots sort of stopped the bear, but he was far from dead. I do not trust buckshot - slugs or round balls.

Ed Huble here has some 12 bore wads that nicely hold 2, 58 cal. round balls. I am in the experimentation mode on those, but that "buck" shot will work - guaranteed. Should be able to get them moving 1,500fps with Longshot, Blue Dot or Steel powders.