MEC accessories

Are the MEC bottle supports and funnels a great accessory or is there something better?

Thanks in advance for your input.

I like the funnel as it makes filling bottles easy. I just use the standard short bottles so I have never needed a support, if your going to use a tall bottle then a support is a good idea as a tall bottle of shot is a lot of stress on the small screw end. A cut up soda bottle also works as a good funnel.

I had a old MEC- I think #600 that the bottles had gotten old & cracked.

I figured out a Coke bottle has the same threads and will make a decent substitute even though its smaller.
To fill or empty them, I 'borrowed' a plastic funnel from the kitchen.

Yes, check out dollar stores or Goodwill for kitchen gadgets that can be repurposed.

I made some “Budlite” alcohol stoves. The, left over, top 3 inches of the aluminum beer bottle makes an excellent funnel for filling the MEC bottles. These are heavy aluminum, not the topical beer can material.

Yay! Another good reason to drink beer! Honestly babe, I just need it for the top of the bottle, but it would be a shame to waste the beer. Right sweetheart?

Left over from making these. Still questioning if bud lite is actually beer??? The neck fits the MEC bottle perfectly and has a big opening, so testing was in order.
Attachment 258555

Like most things, you can make your own. For $10, I like my MEC funnel, it works well. I never used the bottle supports. I would rather use the standard size bottles and just refill every so often. Even in production mode, it takes some time to empty the standard shot bottle.

The MEC bottle supports are great but pricey. Despite the cost, if you use the large bottles, they would be a worthwhile investment. Having the neck of a large full shot bottle, accidently tear off, or the bottle threads on the press strip, it would be quite messy. I don't see any real need for them if you use the regular size bottles.

I do have one of MEC's bottle funnels. They are pretty nice, although you could make up a substitute. I think I paid $5 for mine several years ago.

Try using a cut off 2 liter bottle as a funnel to fill you bottles on the press.

(I actually wrote this on authors other thread about component storage)

What I do is use those large plastic bolt/component storage bins to hold a good supply of wads and cases at my reload table. The big ones from the box stores will hold 100-300 wads and cases. I also use red coffee cans for shot but I found one of those multi size vacuum adapters work great for putting powder and shot into the newer MEC bottles. I use a lid off a spray can of window cleaner to scoop my shot out of the coffee can.

Thank you all for your input. These are great ideas.

I have the supports for the bottles on all the MEC presses in the room!! And the funnel?? Love it!! Purpose made and doesn't move in place. Just my opinion.

The supports are great if you use the tall bottles. I put my shot in Gatorade/powerade bottles so I can pour it one handed into the cut off 2 liter bottle funnel which you need to keep a hand on. Larger dollar tree funnels work good.