Buckshot or slug for bear (european brown bear) defence?

Buck shot is for DEER, but is so ineffective that they are illegal to use for deer in the state that I live in. You can use a 9mm Luger round from a handgun for deer in the state that I live in. I would go with a slug.

Slug

Europe does not allow you to carry a shotgun for defense while hiking.

Keep your food hung up correctly. Your ham footed noisy *** will keep the bears away.

Rifle with a really good scope?

375 H&H is a huge favorite among Alaskan guides because it’s a stopper.

And to go with your rifle, you need strong bulets. The best of these, I believe, is the Swift A-Frame. I’ve used them in Alaska and Africa, on all sorts of large, tough beasts, and they deserve every bit of their peerless reputation.

You also want a good, low-powered scope. For bear you need a wide field fo view combined with a heavy reticle that centers your eye instantly. I think that the ideal scope is a 1X–4X, a 1.5X–5X, or something in that power range. And bring scope caps because it will rain.

I'm wondering how you think shot would penetrate deeply enough to get to a bear's vitals. Stock up on slugs.

Slugs

Ruger Alaskan in 454 Casull or 380 Ruger will do it.

Slug life.

When I ride in the mountains (and we have grizzly bears here) the first round in my shotgun is a BANGER. That is normally enough to convince a bear to seek another direction of travel.

The intent is to make bears less interested in you, not to kill them. My family has resided in this area for over 70 years and nobody has been attacked by any of the wild life about these parts. And we don't kill the wildlife around here either.