A drunken man terrified his partner and her daughter, who was holding a baby, when he produced an air rifle during an argument, a court heard.
Carl Stephenson, 40, of Main Street, Saltby, near Melton, admitted causing an affray on February 26.
He was given an eight month jail sentence, suspended for two years, and fined £1,000.
Leicester Crown Court was told that Stephenson had been in a six month relationship with his then partner when the incident happened.
They were living together in Thistleton village, in Rutland, along with his partner's adult son, daughter and her baby.
Esther Harrison, prosecuting, said an argument between the defendant and his partner broke out and "continued to rumble."
His partner had received some bad news that day about a death in the family and accused him of not being supportive.
Both ended up drinking too much, said Mr Gow, and things were said on both sides.
When the victim was with her daughter and baby in the kitchen, the defendant appeared.
Mr Gow said: "He had an air rifle and cocked it.
"He denies loading it, pointing it at anyone or making threats.
"The two women were extremely frightened."
Stephenson's then partner locked herself in the bathroom, taking her mobile phone, and called the police.
Mr Gow said: "Her daughter ran upstairs with the baby and also rang the police."
When his partner's son arrived, the defendant asked: "Are you going to stick up for me when the police come?"
The police found the air rifle in its case in the hallway.
In interview, Stephenson said he had been drinking and his partner was "kicking off" when he pulled the rifle out "in the heat of the moment" and his memory was a blur.
Mr Gow said: "He recognised he would have scared those present."
His then partner later made a withdrawal statement saying she did not wish Stephenson to go to prison, said Mr Gow.
Isabel Wilson, mitigating, said the defendant, who runs a business, worked six days a week and had no previous convictions.
Judge Nicholas Dean QC said: "He's self-employed and also employs other people and devotes a significant amount of time to his work."
He told Stephenson: "I accept you acted out of character.
"You had a domestic argument and picked up an air rifle, which must have been frightening.
"The fact this involved an air weapon and the circumstances in which it was used means a sentence of imprisonment is inevitable, but it's not appropriate to send you into custody immediately today."
