A weaving loom including a reed (90) mounted on an oscillatable reed shaft (97), and a rapier (73) for drawing weft yarn through a warp shed, the rapier having a rapier head (72) mounted on the end of an elongate drive member (73) which is capable of reciprocating the head (72) through the warp shed, drive means for oscillating the reed shaft (97) such that during said insertion and retraction strokes the reed (90) is spaced from the fell to enable unhindered travel of the rapier head and such that the reed is advanced to urge the rapier toward the fell when the rapier is at its fully inserted position such that the rapier head is positively located for cooperation with weft yarn guide means (101) for collection of weft yarn.