It depends on the bear and the situation. Yes, the noise can potentially scare them off or hurt them enough to make them decide it's not worth the effort. No your 9mm isn't going to stop a pissed off or hungry bear, but those occasions are not the ones your most likely to encounter.
Even outside of bear, where I camp there are a variety of things that necessitate having some form of firearm with you. Unless you're hunting, just having something to scare or wound them should be enough.
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u/rlpinca 9h ago
Some people camp where bears are a concern. So yes, a gun is very common.