Shots were fired at a man who was sat in a parked car in Withington.
The man, who is in his 20s, was uninjured after four bullets were shot at the vehicle on Old Moat Lane at 9.10pm on Wednesday night.
Greater Manchester Police officers say it is believed he was the intended target and there is no public danger at this point.
A short time later, a white Ford Focus crashed on Abbey Hey Lane in Gorton and the driver and passengers ran away.
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Officers arrived and found a firearm in the car - which is now being examined by forensics.
A spokesperson for GMP said: "At this early stage of the investigation, detectives do not want to rule out any potential lines of inquiry, and are currently investigating whether the vehicle is linked to the firearms incident."
No arrests have been made yet.
Detective Inspector Chris Potter of GMP's City of Manchester district said: "We understand this is a concerning incident for people that live in the area, and we are investigating thoroughly, following a number of lines of inquiry.
"We believe this was a targeted attack and there is no wider threat to the public. However we have increased patrols in the area, and we're currently carrying out house to house inquiries.
"We're keen to speak to anyone who may have seen the incident on Old Moat Lane, or may have CCTV footage. We'd also like to speak to anyone who may have seen the white Ford Focus on Abbey Hey Lane in Gorton, or may have dash-cam footage of it.
"Anyone with information can call police on 0161 856 6063 quoting log 3300 of 15/09/21, of via LiveChat on our website www.gmp.police.uk. Alternatively, you can call independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. Thank you."
