Stimpy -- Did you get a 26" barrel? I didn't think they were making 24" any more. You can make a good short starter and range rod with dowel stock from the hardware store topped with a turned wooden ball from a craft store. Grind a concave and reinforce with a little epoxy at the business end. The ones I made work fine and cost about three bucks total, plus glue, epoxy and finish I had on the bench already.
I've had good luck in my 26" Huntsman barrel with a patched round ball and 50-60 grains of Pyrodex RS, and okay results with 90 to 100 grains of the same powder with a T-C Maxi-Hunter lead conical. POI was way low -- I ended up replacing the stock half-inch front sight with a Marble's .405" Uni-ramp. I'm using the Williams WGRS aperture on the rear. Let us know how it shoots!
