Collath was the successor of Teschner in Frankfurt on Oder. The Collath slide-and-tilt action was indeed developed by Teschner, first using needle-fire cartridges of Teschner's design, later regular centerfire cartridges. Collath continued making the Teschner-Collath action into the 1920s, but they also made "normal" break-open actions later.

Before the drawn-brass cartridge cases were perfected about 1870, the Germans used rifles in Bore calibers, 20 and 24 gauge being popular, for hunting. these were chambered for either paper or brass shotgun cases, shortened to about 40mm, and loaded with rather short, "beehive" lead bullets and black powder.