Conceived by the Austrian Lieutenant Joseph Lorenz, the rifle's official production started in 1854, replacing the Augustin rifle among the Austrian troops, demonstrating from the very beginning, its supremacy over the former rifle. It was used in Italy during the second Independence War, as well as in the Balkans. It was then largely exported to America, equipping both the Union and the Confederate armies, becoming one of the most used rifles during the years of the American Civil War.