[sudosysgen]

Essentially, the powder actuated piston fires a blank round and uses the pressure in order to propel a mass, that hits the lock and, assuming that the lock is restrained in the opposite direction, creates an immense force that destroys the internals of the lock and forces it open, all in less than a second.

[wincy]

Is this sort of like the weapon the guy in No Country For Old Men was using?

[thechao]

That's a captive bolt gun. It's used to kill cattle for slaughter.

[wiml]

I don't remember the movie well enough, but it might have been a captive bolt gun (typically used for slaughtering livestock)?

[gruez]

Doesn't that use compressed air?

[catalogia]

The one shown in that movie uses compressed air. Some other sorts use powder charges, just like a powder actuated nailgun.

[SV_BubbleTime]

Pneumatic