M3 .50 Pintle

M3 Pattern .50 Pintle

A pintle is the swivel mount that sits between a machine gun and its tripod: the gun's front mounting point locks into the top, and the spindle underneath drops into the tripod head so the gun can traverse, or swing left and right. This United Defense M3 .50 pintle follows the pattern used to seat the .50 caliber M2 on the M3 tripod. It suits builders, restorers and collectors completing or servicing an M3 tripod setup.

Features

• Open Yoke Cradle — Two upright arms form a U-shaped yoke that receives the gun's front mounting point between them.
• Solid Cross Pin — A single pin spans the yoke and passes through the gun's mount to hold it in the cradle.
• Hex Head End — One end of the pin carries a hex head that seats against the outside of the yoke arm.
• Clip-Secured Retention — The opposite end is held by a retainer with a spring clip, so the pin cannot work loose under recoil and handling.
• Tapered Spindle — A tapered shaft below the cradle drops into the tripod head and acts as the pivot for traverse.
• Stepped, Grooved Tip — The spindle narrows in machined steps and finishes with a groove near the tip.
• Machined Metal Finish — The cradle and spindle show a dark, machined metal surface with clean edges.
• M3 Tripod Pattern — The layout matches the pintle used to mount the .50 caliber M2 on the M3 tripod.

Fit And Build

The pintle is built as one cradle and spindle piece, with the cross pin and its retainer as the only separate parts. It is made by United Defense, a commercial manufacturer, to the M3 pattern rather than issued as military surplus. Check your tripod head socket against the spindle profile before fitting, especially on reproduction or non-standard tripods.