If a bear is aggressing, I'm always reaching for the large area of effect chemical spray that causes sensory overload, blindness, difficulty breathing, and retreat in nearly every scenario. Guns are deadly, but while you're waiting for the bear to bleed out, you can get mauled. If I'm not hunting, then I don't want to carry a gun. I've backpacked in the North Cascades and Olympic Peninsula and seen plenty of black bears. I've likely been near grizzlies but never seen one. I've wielded spray once when a mother black bear squared me up, but she didn't aggress, so I didn't trigger. I feel no need to bring a gun for wilderness trips. I rely on behaviors more than weapons for safety anyway.

But sure, in that unlikely scenario, it doesn't hurt as a backup for spray. Even then, if the spray doesn't work on a charging bear, the bear is likely on top of you. At that point, I'd focus on protecting my vital organs over securing and firing a weapon.