Patent ID: 7543524

Claim:
A machine gun mount for attachment to a movable support arm of a helicopter and for holding a machine gun, the machine gun mount comprising: a pintle that is rotatable connected at a first end to the movable support arm, the first end of the pintle providing for rotation of the machine gun about a vertical axis; a gun cradle that is rotatably connected to a second end of the pintle, the second end of the pintle providing for rotation of the machine gun about a horizontal axis; an ammunition magazine disposed on a first side of the gun cradle; and a spent case catch bag disposed on a second side of the gun cradle, further comprising a spent case catch bag frame attached to the second side of the gun cradle, the spent case catch bag being attached to the spent case catch bag frame, the spent case catch bag frame including a pair of generally U-shaped supports disposed inside the spent case catch bag at opposite ends thereof, wherein the spent case catch bag frame comprises a link chute on a top surface thereof, the link chute including an opening having a width that is greater than a width of a link ejection opening in the machine gun, wherein the ammunition magazine comprises a box, a lid and a latch for closing the lid to the box, an upper portion of the latch including a latch cover.