Lawrence Phillip Tait was a recluse who lived in a caravan on a property in the Coonabarabran area, only venturing to town once every three to four months on his homemade motorised bicycle to stock up on supplies, the judge was told.

It was on one of those trips that his dog was run over by a car, prompting him to visit the police station.

Police noticed the bomb hanging around his neck, two pistols in his possession, and the dog's blood on him.

He was allowed to leave, however was later arrested in a dramatic operation by crack State Protection Group officers last October.

In a subsequent search of his property police discovered an arsenal of illegal guns and explosives.

In Dubbo District Court yesterday the 47-year-old pleaded guilty to 24 charges relating to the weapons and placing explosives with intent to do bodily harm.

Defence counsel Tony Bellanto QC tendered expert reports stating his client - who has been in custody since the day of his arrest - had a psychological disorder.

"He does have a psychological difficulty in adjusting to the ways of a modern community," Mr Bellanto said.

Mr Tait had an obsession with collecting firearms from a young age.

Having the weapons was a "lifestyle thing" for his client, who had no previous criminal record, the defence counsel said.

On the witness stand Mr Tait's friend James Brown described him as "a very quiet, shy person".

Mr Bellanto called on Judge Robert Woods to release his client into the community under supervision from mental health authorities, without imposing any further time in jail.

"There is no real concern for general deterrence, for personal deterrence he had done nearly nine months in jail," he said.

Prosecutor Chris Bailey described Mr Tait as an eccentric, and said the judge must look at considering protecting the public when sentencing the offender.

"The issue here is protection of the community, those unusual individuals who have obsessions with them (firearms) need to be dealt with in a way which says 'this is not acceptable behaviour'."

"He sort of half knew he was breaking the law but he didn't take it seriously," Judge Woods said when considering the matter.

Mr Tait, dressed in a royal blue shirt and tie and navy blue trousers, showed no sign of emotion during the proceedings.

The judge will hand down his sentence this morning.