Just before the L.A. riots, I checked out a pawn shop in South L.A. Amidst all the junk was a Winchester 70 in 300 WM mounting a Balvar V8 scope. I convinced them to sell it to me for $110 out the door, with a soft case included. Took it home and cast the chamber. It had been a 300 H&H, rechambered to 300 Weatherby. Rifle was made in 1954. It had been restocked, the barrel shortened 2 inches and all the metal rust blued. Under the recoil pad was a Weatherby business card from their South Gate, CA store. I imagine the owner bought the rifle with the idea of getting it entirely redone by Weatherby.
They also sold me a Heym Model 52, basically a reworked 98 action, with a rat tail barrel in 30-06 (although a poor reaming job on the chamber), stock was broken on this one, but I bought it for the name.
A month later the riots took place and it was burned to the ground. Some other firearms there I was interested in, but no more.
Brue in Utah