Andrew Dwyer, 34, of Ettrick Estate Road, said the illegal firearms were "just toys" during a plea hearing in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Thursday.

He pleaded guilty to weapons offences, including being a prohibited person possessing an imitation firearm, as well as an unrelated charge of breaching a family violence intervention order.

He was jailed for four months.

The court heard police raided Dwyer's Lismore district home on Wednesday about 9am.

Investigators seized a hand-held stapler and a nerf gun capable of firing .22 calibre ammunition, a hand-crafted wooden shotgun with two barrels, a hand-crafted wooden firearm with a rim fire action, two crossbows, one home-made black taser and various .22 calibre ammunition and one shotgun shell.

Dwyer was located at the premises with associate Joseph Bond, 22, of Bostocks Creek, and the pair was arrested and conveyed to Warrnambool police station.

Dwyer is a prohibited person under the Firearms Act because he recently served six months' jail for serious driving offences.

Lawyer Amanda Chambers said her client was raised on a farming property in south-west Victoria and he had a history of "lawful ownership when he was a lot younger".

"He misses being able to possess firearms lawfully," she said.

"He is very handy and has been building items that have led him astray."

Ms Chambers said she had "very clear instructions that he was not making (the firearms) for any nefarious purposes".

She said her client had a criminal history but was not involved in "the drug world".

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Dwyer told the court the items seized had no firing pins and were "just toys I had to play with over the last couple of years".

But magistrate Franz Holzer said "anything capable of firing is capable of causing injury or death".

"Manufacturing anything in this kind of context is surprising at best and stupid at worst," he said.

"These are weapons that, in the wrong hands, could kill someone. That's not going to happen on my watch in this region."

Dwyer was also fined $1000.

Co-accused Mr Bond also appeared in court, did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody.

He will appear in Colac Magistrates Court next week where he is expected to plead guilty to the weapons offences, as well as unrelated serious driving matters.

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