Maybe the guns are merely futuristic versions of what we have today, but the ammo is much more advanced? Electronic target-seeking whizzbangs that make a different noise when you chamber a round? Yeah, that’s it.
Yeah. I always thought it was a good, evocative bit of craziness for him. Did he hear a distinction there that none of us are good enough listeners to pick up? Or, was he deliberately trying to wind Simon’s chain and throw him off balance??
I think Lazlo was referring to the bit at the end of the two hour pilot, where we find out that
[spoiler]this cargo they had hijacked, that Badger had refused to buy because it was too hot, that they finally sold to Patience who ran her own moon, was… food. Concentrated, preserved nutritional supplements
Each bar wrapped up so it just happened to look like precious metal of some sort.[/spoiler]
Yeah, that threw me off a bit too. Also, the gun reports themselves sometimes sound like they’ve been electronically processed in some way – maybe run through a flanger. This is hardly consistent though – in some episodes the guns sound perfectly normal (at least by TV standards), and even the weird sci-fi chambering noises you mention are occasionally absent.
I’m guessing the sound effects guys were just having a little fun. Or: motorized bullets. Take your pick.
I thought it was another creative anachronism along the lines of the holographic cue balls and bar window. They stick with (or reverted to) the old look, even though the guts of the weapon utilize the modern technology of Firefly’s hypothetical future. Same reason we in the real 'verse sometimes buy things with a retro design, even though the internals are modern technology (see: any “vintage” audio hardware).
Yep, that’s it. Raguleader also knew what I was referring to there. That wasn’t the only episode where cargo wasn’t what we’d expect it to be.
I can’t remember the episode title offhand (but there was a swordfight! and Kaylee in a dress!), but at the end we discover that their contraband cargo is a herd of cattle.
Or, was he deliberately trying to wind Simon’s chain and throw him off balance??