well.....bear spray has no recoil and totally debilitates a bears senses. It can't see, smell or feel anything but pain. It also has a better chance of hitting it's target. One bear had 4 or 5 .38's and 12 7mm bullets in it before it died. Granted it was the largest bear ever shot and killed but it did also kill two hikers before death.
Just my 2 cents.