9mm is on the low end of power but with it you have increased his ability to fight back from strong words and spit, to loud bangs and moderate hot lead. Now make sure you can get him to carry it 100% of the time. People who underestimate the risk often become slack about being prepared and after a period of nothing happening you naturally think nothing will ever happen.
That story above is too much like my personal experience except I was three times further away from the bear and I had a .270. Bears are faster than you ever dream they could be. Perhaps some bears will pause and hesitate before charging. Mine charged the second he saw me and was at top speed in ten feet. Bears are bad news to me. If I ever go back to Alaska I am either going to have a large caliber handgun or more likely a pump shotgun loaded as they say for bear. But most likely I’ll never step foot into the bush in Alaska again. The bears have me buffaloed.
