Weapon mount A weapon mount is a weapon component used to secure an armament . Weapon mounts can be broken down into two categories : static mounts and non - static mounts . Static mount . A static mount is a non - portable weapon support component used on a self - propelled vehicle . Turret . A gun turret protects the crew or mechanism of a weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions . A turret is a rotating weapon platform . This can be mounted on a fortified building or structure such as an anti - naval land battery , or on an armoured fighting vehicle , a naval ship , or a military aircraft . Turrets may be armed with one or more machine gun s , automatic cannons , large - calibre guns , or missile launcher s . It may be manned or remotely controlled , and is often armoured . A small turret , or sub - turret on a larger one , is called a " cupola " . The term " cupola " also describes rotating turrets that carry no weapons but instead are sighting devices , as in the case of tank commanders . A finial is an extremely small sub - turret or sub - sub - turret mounted on a cupola turret . The protection provided by the turret may be against battle damage or against the weather , conditions and environment in which the weapon or its crew operate . Coaxial . A " coaxial mount " is mounted beside the primary weapon and thus points in the same general direction as the main armament , relying in the turret ' s ability to traverse in order to change arc . The term " coaxial " is a misnomer as the arrangement is actually paraxial ( i . e . , parallel axes , as opposed to the same axis ) . Nearly all main battle tank s and most infantry fighting vehicle s have a coaxial machine gun mounted to fire along a parallel axis to the main gun . Coaxial weapons are usually aimed by use of the main gun control . It is usually used to engage infantry or other " soft " targets when the main gun collateral damage would be excessive , or to conserve main gun ammunition . Some weapons such as the M40 recoilless rifle and the LAW 80 have a smaller caliber " spotting rifle " mounted in " coaxial " fashion on the weapon ' s barrel , which allows the operator to visualise where the primary weapon ' s projectile will hit . Fixed . A " fixed " mount is not moveable with respect to the vehicle . The vehicle itself must move in order to change direction of fire . Fixed mounts are most commonly found on aircraft , and most commonly direct the weapon forward , along the aircraft ' s vector of movement , so that a pilot could aim and steer at the same time . Some minor aircraft designs used different concept of fixed mounts , as found in Schräge Musik or AC - 47 Spooky . Pintle . A " pintle mount " is a fixed mount that allows the gun to be freely traversed and / or elevated while keeping the gun in one fixed position . It is most commonly found on armoured vehicles , gunner stations on bomber aircraft , and helicopter gunship s . Unlike a turret , a pintle has little or no armour protection . Swing Arm . A " swing mount " is a fixed mount that allows a far greater and more flexible arc of fire than the simple pintle mount system . Utilising a system of one or two articulated arms the gunner can swing the weapon through a wide arc even though the gunner ' s position is fixed relative to the mount . These systems vary in complexity from a simple arm , to a double arm with the ability to lock the weapon in any firing position . Ground mount . A ground mount is a sub - class of weapon mount that is portable . Monopod . A monopod has one leg and does not provide stability along the coordinate axis of motion . Monopods have the advantage of being light and compact although when used in firing mode it does not have enough stability to be used with large firearms . Monopods are typically used on short - barreled , precision - fire firearms . They are also used as " butt spikes " as a rear support on precision rifles . Bipod . A bipod has two legs and provides stability along the left - to - right coordinate axis of motion . The bipod permits the operator to rest the weapon on the ground , a low wall , or other object , reducing operator fatigue and permitting increased accuracy . Bipods can be of fixed or adjustable length . The better ones can be tilted and also have their tilting point close to the bore central axis , allowing the weapon to tilt a little left and right , allowing a quick horizontal sight picture on uneven ground and keeping the operator close to the ground . Bipods are for the most part folded forward , not back . Tripod . A tripod has three legs and provides stability along the left - to - right and fore - and - aft coordinate axis of motion . Tripods have the disadvantage of being heavy and bulky although when used in firing mode it has enough stability to be used with large firearms . Tripods are typically used on long - barreled , rapid - fire firearms . The tripod permits the operator to rest the weapon on the ground and thus the gun feels lighter to the shooter and accuracy is increased . Another form of tripod is the tripod gun handle . The tripod gun handle provides a forward vertical pistol grip plus a slide out pivotal tripod . It is attached to the gun by a picatinny rail . The legs of the tripod can be deployed by the press of a button and can be pushed back up into the vertical grip . Shooting sticks . Shooting sticks are portable weapon mounts used by field shooters , like hunters , snipers and metallic silhouette black - powder rifle shooters , similar to a bipod or tripod , with two or three legs . On firearms , shooting sticks are commonly used on rifles to provide a forward rest and reduce motion . Shooting sticks permit the operator to rest the weapon on the ground , a low wall , or other object , reducing operator fatigue and permitting increased accuracy . Shooting sticks can be of fixed or adjustable length and can be home made products by their operators or factory products .