I got a 3/8" oak dowel from Lowe's for under $2. (Our WalMart only had poplar dowels.) I like my aluminum rod for cleaning, but there is no way to slip and scratch anything with this wooden dowel. I have the "seated" depth marked really brightly, because my wife often sits with me when I shoot and she likes to load, and I can easily see that she is seating the load completely without being too obvious that I'm watching over her closely.
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