There is provided a manually operable afterloader (100) for use during radiation therapy treatment of a patient. The afterloader (100) includes a sourcewire reel (112) having a circumferential groove, dual sized or stepped (188), for receipt of a non-radioactive portion of a sourcewire (130) and a shield capsule (154) having a passageway therethrough for receipt of a radioactive portion of a source wire (130). A cranking mechanism (163) is provided to rotate the sourcewire reel (112) and drive the radioactive sourcewire (130) out of the shield capsule (154).