Detectives searched Nathan Luke Gartside's Alfredton home in May 2021 and found five firearms, one believed to have been stolen during a burglary, drugs and ammunition.

The 32-year-old was charged with possessing a traffickable quantity of firearms at the Cedar Avenue property and dealing with property suspected to be the proceeds of crime.

He was subject to a firearms prohibition order at the time and was also charged with drug possession offences, including more than 100 grams of methylamphetamine.

Gartside pleaded guilty at the County Court of Victoria on Friday.

Crown prosecutor David Cordy said the weapons could have been readily used, with two handmade firearms loaded and ammunition for other guns easy to get.

"It is a remarkable coincidence that the two loaded handguns found in his possession on this occasion were homemade, as was the loaded handgun found in his possession in 2017," he said.

"These homemade weapons are particularly dangerous. He either is capable of manufacturing or at the very least he has an interest in obtaining and knows how to obtain dangerous homemade weapons."

Mr Cordy noted one of the loaded weapons was not operational with the capacity to fire, but Gartside had a concerning history in relation to weapon possession.

"This is a case where specific deterrence must play great prominence in the sentencing discretion," he said.

"He knows if he has these sorts of items in his possession he is going to go to jail. But what does he do? He had these items in his possession loaded up and ready to go."

Judge Rosemary Carlin said she did not accept Gartside's explanation for how he acquired the firearms.

Gartside told police he bought the firearms from a friend who he was concerned about because of mental health issues and he only had them for one week before he was caught.

The court heard the friend later died by suicide.

Defence lawyer Adrian Paull said Gartside had maintained this reasoning since his record of interview.

He said the prosecution did not allege the firearms were in his client's possession for further criminal activity.

Mr Paull said a large amount of drugs were found in his property, which Gartside said he had stockpiled for personal use during the pandemic.

"He was using a large amount of meth and had become quite paranoid," he said.

The court heard Gartside had difficulties in childhood and ADHD and other diagnosed conditions made his time in custody more onerous.

Mr Paull said Gartside had completed an intensive community corrections order in the past and would be able to return to a job as a concreter when he was released.

"Employment is a major stabilising factor for any person. He is going to go through the longest period of drug abstinence in his adult life through his sentence," he said.

Gartside has served 238 days of pre-sentence detention since his arrest.

Judge Carlin adjourned the case for sentencing at a later date.

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