This is about the "tear drop" shaped 50 round drum magazine for the Ruger 10/22. The currently-produced MWG drums are clones of the older Mitchell drums, and are seemingly 100% parts compatible.

I've owned these Mitchell drums for what seems like forever, and they've always worked 100% for me. But they're old now, and needed some new parts. I placed an online order with MWG, and received my new winder handles, back covers, and a spring-loaded rotor.

Disassembly is completely straightforward, except for removing the spring-loaded rotor, which is located at the bottom of the drum.

The rotor is held onto the drum body by a plastic plug/rivet-like fastener. This plug/rivet has a thin, round disc on one end, and tiny screw that is recessed in a deep access hole on the front of the drum body. If you turn the tiny screw, the plastic disc on the opposite side turns freely with it.

All of my efforts to get this tiny screw to loosen were met with failure, until I put some pliers on the plastic disc, to immobilize the plug/rivet. I then managed to strip the head on the screw. At that point, I drilled out the screw head, which pretty well destroyed the plastic plug/rivet in the process. The drum is now disassembled, and the new rotor from MWG is installed.

My problem so far is that MWG doesn't list this plug/rivet in the replacement parts list on their website. I sent them an email though, so hopefully I can get a new one.

The drum would probably work without the plug/rivet, since the rotor's captive clock spring and the drum's installed back cover would prevent the rotor from "walking". Also, there are certainly other methods that could be used to retain the rotor, but I want to fix it so it's like new again, if at all possible.

So, does anyone who has read this far know of another source for this plug/rivet? Should I actually call  MWG and ask someone in person for this part? How about the "correct, non-destructive" method for removing this piece?

Thanks for any help or insight.

EDIT TO ADD: The piece that I referred to as the plug/rivet above is called the "Retainer" by MWG. It is sold as a two-part assembly: Part Number MWG-50P-007, "Rotor Cover with Retainer". The "Rotor Cover" is the piece which has the two lugs that interface with the crank handle, or "key" as MWG calls it.

Incidentally, the retainer does NOT have a screw threaded into it. What I saw as a slot-headed screw was actually the slotted end of the retainer. No wonder I couldn't "loosen" it! The retainer snaps into the drum body, and it is designed to be pushed out from the front side of the drum (front to rear).

During my removal attempts, I had tried to push the retainer out, but it didn't want to move. So be ready to push hard, because that's how you remove it.