I was assuming from the very low pressure mentioned at the start that we're talking about a carbureted fuel system, not injected, is that not the case?
I'm happy to acknowledge that a return line is needed for an injected system, but not with a carb.
I also don't readily accept the argument that a fuel pump will fail sooner in. "dead head" setup. Pumps like the Holley Red are designed to run that way.
Paul