A real estate agent turned 3D gun manufacturer knew functioning weapons he helped make were "intended to be available for nefarious purposes", a court has found.
One of those weapons, a .22 calibre rimfire pistol, was found after the buyer left it, along with $200,000 worth of illicit drugs, under the back seat of his car during a service.
Andrew Allan Kay, 40, escaped further time behind bars after leaving the ACT Supreme Court on Friday with a drug and alcohol treatment order.
He previously admitted to the unauthorised manufacturing of firearms, disposal of an unregistered firearm, unauthorised possession or use of a firearm, and possessing ammunition.
The community order, focused on rehabilitating offenders with substance abuse issues, is among obligations included in a partly suspended three-year-and-two-month jail term.
After already spending over six months behind bars for his crimes, Kay has also been ordered to pay a $1000 fine and abide by a curfew.
Police arrested Kay in May of last year after finding seven firearms at the Turner property he was residing at.
Several of the firearms found "were functional and capable of discharging live ammunition", the court heard. One gun was incomplete and another was not functional.
Defence barrister Jason Moffett previously told the court his client "took part" in the manufacturing of six firearms but it was not established on the evidence exactly what his involvement had been.
Police also found a "Witbox 2" 3D printer, videos of firearms being built, consistent with some of the guns found, and software intended to assist in manufacturing the weapons.
The court said while drug dependency did not reduce Kay's moral culpability, it helped explain the "disregard for the risks he was putting community members in" by helping produce the firearms.
Mr Moffett submitted: "The offender is recovering from a lifelong drug and alcohol addiction but with recent intervention and treatment shows a willingness to clean up his act and take control of his life."
Acting Justice Rebecca Christensen ultimately agreed, noting Kay was "highly motivated to implement positive lifestyle changes" and could do so through the intensive community-based sentence.
The judge found a treatment order was suitable.
She told Kay, who was a qualified real estate agent for 12 years, she would see him again soon for the start of his weekly court check-ins.
