Easiest way is to stand the rifle up vertically, grab the top of the rod with your right hand and pull to the side away from the barrel and up. With your left hand at the point where the rod goes into the lower hg retainer, you can squeeze the rod towards the barrel as you pull up and out with the other hand.
Sometimes it pinches where the lower hg retainer is and working it in both directions helps. Hope that wasn't too confusing, Razz