I currently own a 30/06 and an 8mm/06. I have been invited to go to Virginia next year and participate in a mixed hunt with deer and bear in the mix.
I have never taken a bear or even taken a shot at a bear. Those of you with bear-killing experience, and especially those of you familiar with Virgina bruins......I have a couple questions for you....
I assumed that my 8mm/06 would be potent enough medicine for the black bears in Virgina, but have been given an opportunity to buy the requisite accessories to turn my Savage 30/06 into a 35 Whelen (Adams & Bennett barrell, go-no-go gauges, wrench). The price is decent (around $150.00) but I'm thinking with good handloaded bullets my 8mm/06 is sufficient...
Your thoughts? Should I save my $$?

Save your $$$ The 35Whelen would make an excellent bear rifle, but your 30-06 and/or your 8mm will also handle 'em.

If i had an 8mm-06 loaded with 200 grain Nosler partitions i'd not be afraid to hunt and take any bear that walks the face of this earth!!! And i'm talking about black, brown or even Polar bears!!!

I've harvested a lot of big game with 8mm 200 NP's loaded to MV of 2,350 fps out of my 8x57jrs.

I feel the same way about the 30-06 with the same weight NP's!!! They really work well with good penetration!!!

Drilling Man

30/06 and 180 noslers sound good to me. GOOD LUCK!

Though i do have a hankering for the Whelen everyone is correct... the '06 will handle a blackbear without an issue... heck a 270 winchester or 280 remington won't have an issue... loaded with a good bullet taht will stay together and achieve adequate penetration and expansion...

Never have shot one with a rifle.... but i have taken one iwth my bow and hopefully will have the opportunity to once again this fall... i carry the Blackhawk in 45 Colt or the 12 ga for backup...

Jamie

ALRIGHT a topic I can get into... My choice is BUD LIGHT with Coors Light closely in second.

Oh you said beArs? Sorry I mis-understood. Anything that will kill a whitetail will kill a blackie under 400#s. A 180 30/06 will do anything a 8/06 will do, just stick with quality bullets. My pick would be the Federal Premium Vital Shok 180 Triple Shock Barnes, that things THE perfect load for the ol 06 if you ask me...
RA

I appreciate and respect your replies. You are all saying what I felt, but without personal bear experience I wanted to defer to those who know. You do realize this makes it harder to build a case for the
Whelen though!!

Keep you opinions and load preferences coming.
Thanks

I recently did the switch barrel on my 112. It's not that hard. Either gun will do the job quite well. Look at it this way, do the Whelen and if you ever get the opportunity for something bigger your already set.

The only bear I ever shot was an old boar that dropped like a bag of rocks with one hit from a .32 Special at 15 ft. Everything you've got will do better than that, but that bear wouldn't have been any deader in any shorter time.

I've killed four Virginia bears with my 338-06, like your 8mm-06 or a 35 Whelan it's probably more gun than is really needed. Most of the guys I hunt bears with use either a 30-06 or 308 with 180gr bullets. If you are hunting with hounds, which is very common, expect a close range shot.

Bears with a dressed weight of 300 lbs plus are becoming more common every year so use a good bullet like a partition regardless of the gun you pick.
The bottom line is take the gun you want to use because both will work very well.