Kropatschek would go on to have a partner in Josef Werndl and produce his rifle at Österr. Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft in Steyr.   He would go on to propose his new rifle at a very inopportune time in Austria.  The improved Werndl with the M1873 designation had just been introduced to the Army with favorable reception.  The Kropatschek rifle was then sent to testing by the Techinical Administrative Military Committee (TaMK), the advantages of being able to shoot as a single shot and a repeater were so convincing that the Reich Ministry of War purchased more rifles for testing. 

  OEWG would go on to supply 20 rifles for troop testing and training of this new rifle, to be conducted by the Feldjäger Battalion No. 21 in Mauer near Vienna.  The testing showed that it was not too difficult to train troops on the new rifle, the rifle had a 21/2-fold increase in the number of shots fired in comparison to the Werndl.  Some minor changes were requested however there were concerns with giving the rifle to the entire army due to its complicated construction.  The other complication was the cost of the rifle, it was much higher than the already in production Werndl-Hoblub system.  A second field test was requested for the Kropatchek rifle and in the meantime the Werndl was made to use the improved M77 cartridge which improved its ballistic performance.

  In the 2nd test, 40 rifles were modified to use the new cartridge types and performed impressively, however no final decision was made.  The Army appeared in no hurry to adopt a repeating rifle as no other armies in Europe had one at the time.  A third test was conducted with 410 Kropatscheks authorized by Emperor Franz Joseph I.  However once again the Army decided to adopt a wait and see approach with repeating rifles.