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They wanted a revolver because it fitted the character, that was the look they where after. A classic detective look. They added some other things it to make it look like a future weapon, things that didn't have any apparent purpose other than to make it look big, powerful, a bit unique and like something from the future. They didn't have to explain how this work, what everything was, why there are two triggers and so on. It is a sci-fi looking revolver. If FL would change that, a whole lot of people would wonder why (and also the weapon would no longer be the Blade Runner Blaster).

Precisely the point I've been struggling to communicate, here: an on-set prop weapon's construction and functionality differs from the in-world weapon's functionality.

A point that seems to have become lost in this game, though.

Michael Biehn and William Hope's lines diegetically define the capabilities of the M-41A. Blade Runner lacks such dialog. We know what an M-41A is supposed to be, we can only infer things about Deckard's gun. All we know about the thing in-world (based solely on the film) is that it makes a bass report and large, Hollywood exit wounds.

The Steyr-Mannlicher receiver part is a single shot, loading and ejection through the same port, cycled with the bolt lever, and activated by the second trigger.
It's calibre is smaller, so reflects different ammo.
The lack of appreciable barrel maybe suggests accuracy is an issue.
Maybe self contained gas discharged rounds focused on utility (flare, tracer) or non-lethal (taser, tranquilliser) might fit the bill.

If you're willing to part with around $1,000 for a replica prop, are you imagining it just as the prop, or does it cross the line into a relic of the setting?

• It's a 5-shot .44cal revolver (exactly what the filming prop is — except they say it's a ".44 10mm Caseless" revolver, whatever the hell that is!)
• It has a removable(??) .222 rifle on top (exactly what the filming prop has as a greeblie ... apart from the "removable" bit!) for a "long range" capability never even hinted at in the movie (never mind that there is no space, neither vertically nor horizontally, for a barrel, or even a chamber ... nor is there anything like an actual muzzle opening in front of the receiver!)
• The double trigger is a "precision aiming hair trigger" primer (exactly what the double-trigger version of the IRL Steyr rifle has), a function never even hinted at in the movie
• The "mystery rod" (in the fan community colloquially called the "sight rod") houses a "non-lethal Sonic Blaster" (what? Captain Harkness' weapon??) function never even hinted at in the movie
• The button-head screw on top the receiver is now the weapon's "sight"
• It does NOT have a selective explosive round capability — a function which IS explicitly shown in the movie.

I found it quite refreshing at the time that Deckard's pistol had secrets. The film makers did not feel the need to manufacture situations to reveal what every switch, lever, and barrel was for

Of course, that doesn't really help when it comes to figuring out the pistols in game features.

I haven't read the comics so wonder if they hold more information on the capabilities that the films don't reveal.

I don't recall K using any explosive rounds in 2049, and when Deckard uses it in Sebastian's apartment is it an explosive round or does it just hit something that explodes?

As for Fria Ligan's version it's a start point.
If there are features I don't like, I'll just change them for my game.

First to go will be the .223 rifle cartridge for long range, without a barrel the accuracy will be next to zero, add in the extra recoil you can probably add a dropped pistol or bruised wrist into the mix. Besides, given the urban, densely populated environment it's dubious to the opportunity to use it. You could just about justify it as a last ditch, close combat, anti-armour option.
I feel at this point I'll likely stick with my original take on a single shot chamber that can hold a variety of non-lethal tactical munitions. The most common to be chambered a taser cartridge, the dart of which can just be seen protruding from the extremely short barrel, if it can be considered a barrel at all.

The 'sonic blaster' doesn't work for me either. I'm happy enough to leave it as a sight.
The box under the barrel, the 'sonic charger', will be a stabilisation unit.
I would like to know where the theory of non-lethal sonic blaster comes from? And if it does exist in canon somewhere what does it say about Deckard and K that they never felt the need to use I?

The double triggers are for the two munition systems. The rear trigger activates the .44 internal chambers, the front trigger the top .223 tactical chamber.

Caseless ammo suggests it could carry more punch for the same volume. If propellant tech has improved enough there could be potential to double stack rounds in the cartridge doubling the capacity to 10 rounds.