Militia leader George Bilunka was getting ready for the second coming of Jesus Christ and the end of the world, but now he'll have to wait for both from behind bars.

Bilunka, 59, of Atlantic, Crawford County, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Erie to stockpiling illegal weapons in preparation for Armageddon.

He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, although he probably won't get that much.

The self-proclaimed leader of the Christian American Patriots Survivalists, Bilunka admitted that he possessed two machine guns and two homemade bombs at his homestead on March 25.

He was arrested that month along with Darrell Sivik, 56, a gunsmith from Meadville who is accused of selling a homemade machine gun to an undercover agent for $300. Federal authorities said Bilunka introduced the agent and Sivik, and also bought a machine gun for himself to add to his collection in arming for the apocalypse.

Sivik, the leader of another outfit called the Braveheart Militia and who is accused of stockpiling guns in preparation for his own showdown with the government, is being held without bond pending trial.

Prosecutors said Bilunka was training his militia members to kill police officers. According to his own writings, he was gathering his forces for the second coming of Christ in 2009, which he said would usher in the end of the world in 2012.

He built an underground bunker on his property, which he filled with food and weapons for the final battle. He had numerous legally owned guns and ammunition in the bunker, but he also had the illegal machine guns and two bombs made of shotgun shells, plastic pipe, washers, screws and nuts.

The case against Bilunka and Sivik started Jan. 12, when an undercover officer wearing a wire met with Bilunka at his house in Atlantic. At the time, Bilunka said he had a machine gun in his basement that he had bought from Sivik.

Bilunka told the officer that he bought the weapon, a "sten" or "burp" gun of the type first developed in World War II, from Sivik so he wouldn't have to register it with the government, according to an affidavit. He also said he knew the penalty for possession was prison.

When the undercover officer asked Bilunka if Sivik needed an existing gun to make a machine gun, Bilunka said, "No, I think he might even have a few."

On Feb. 20, the officer and Bilunka went to Sivik's shop. Out of earshot of other customers, Sivik talked with Bilunka, and then all three went outside to discuss the sale of the machine gun for $300.