Winchester model 02-22

[ninjedi]

I recently inherited a nifty little .22 -- I originally thought it was an old Crickett, but upon closer examination I found it was a Winchester model 02-22; On barrel, left side - "Manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms Co., New Haven Conn. USA Patented August 29, 1899"

The (original?) wood stock is cracked. I did a quick good to see if replacement stocks were readily available but didn't really find anything. Does anyone here know if a replacement stock for something like this is in the cards?

[smurfman]

Finding a stock is going to be difficult, best guess would be to keep hitting up Numrich Arms and hope they have one float in. They were designed to be made very quickly, easily, and inexpensively to gain market supremacy in an area Winchester was not yet involved in.

I believe these were designed by John M. Browning for Winchester to compete (read that as put out of business) the Flobert rimfires being imported around the turn of the last century.

The story goes that JMB brought in several prototypes of these cheap guns along with his more expensive ones. When what's his name at Winchester asked if JMB could match if not beat the Flobert guns, JMB brought out one version. The patent was bought on the spot as it was cheaper than the Flobert. JMB brought out another prototype which was even cheaper and easier to make. It, too, was bought. He then brought out his last prototype which was also bought. I believe this last one cost around $1 to make and sold for about $2.50. In just a year Winchester drove Flobert out of the U.S. and new generations of shooters were introduced to the Winchester name at an early age.

[Squib Joe]

Cracks can be fixed in most cases, how bad is it?

I think you'll have a hard time finding a stock to replace it, unless you find another beater gun