About 9.15pm the man, 20, left a house in Kennedy Street at Singleton and began walking towards Boonal Street.

Along the way he is alleged to have fired a .303 firearm into the air three times.

He is alleged to have then entered a house on Boonal Street and hidden the rifle in a garden shed.

Police arrived at the home a short time later and arrested the man, who had to be subdued with capsicum spray.

They discovered three rounds of .303 ammunition, one used casing, and a small quantity of what is believed to be cannabis on the man’s person.

The rifle was discovered a short time later, and a second weapon, a .202 shotgun, was also found at the Kennedy Street address.

The man will appear in Muswellbrook Local Court today, charged with firing a firearm, possessing unlawful firearms, possessing prohibited drugs, possession of suspected stolen goods and resisting arrest.