Shortly after the war an improved infantry rifle, the model 1871, designed by Paul Mauser, was introduced. This rifle replaced the now outdated and quite difficult to handle Dreyse rifle with its fragile firing needle. The Mauser had an improved bolt-operated lock firing stable brass cartridges instead of the quite fragile Dreyse paper cartridges. Quickly the model 1871 rifle was further improved and replaced by the model 1871/84 repeating rifle having an eight round tube magazine under the barrel. Although the model 1871/84 still fired black powder cartridges it was already a repeating rifle allowing a murderous rate of infantry fire at distances up to 1,600 meters.
But again the French were faster in taking the lead in the arms race by introducing their model 1886 Lebel rifle firing smokeless 8 mm cordite powder cartridges. Those "small" caliber rounds had not only a much higher range and higher muzzle velocity, they were also much lighter compared to the old black powder rounds enabling the infantry man to carry more rounds in his ammo pouches.