Warfare changed in the nineteenth century. Napoleon relied upon the musket as the prime weapon for his light infantry. He thought the volume of firepower supported by artillery would give him a psychological advantage. Learning from their experience in the American Revolution, the British used the rifle with great success. Technology supported the growth of democratic ideology, in which every man served in the military since every man was a part of the state. The rifle was foremost in the development of the democratic citizen-army, because every man could have one. Weapons took control of events and tactics. Firepower became massive and accurate.

Another significant factor in the history of the rifle was the American Civil War. Several types of breech-loading rifles, along with repeating rifles, were used in the conflict. The firepower increased as armies were enlarged to match the emerging doctrine of total war. The Model 1861 Springfield rifle, with a range of a thousand yards, was standard issue for the Union troops, and in the beginning the Confederacy was equally well equipped. Tactical considerations changed slowly, but the rifle proved itself an effective defensive weapon. Urged by a more aggressive doctrine of combat, the Confederacy suffered great losses and ultimately could not survive. Indeed the Rebel cause was lost to the superior impact of the Union rifle. The rifle, therefore, changed the role of artillery and ultimately reduced the cavalry charge to a romantic memory. Accurate rifle fire greatly damaged the traditional reliance on close military formations and allowed a less structured battlefield with initiative resting with smaller units.

Improvements to the rifle continued after the Civil War. The U.S. Rifle, Model 1873 was used in the Indian Wars (1869–1878), then the Krag-Jorgensen replaced it in 1892. Refinements in cartridges, loading systems, and general design created the need for an improved bolt-action. The invention of smokeless powder in the 1880s also gave more power to the bullet's projection. Eventually the U.S. Rifle, Model 1903 became the standard issue. With only slight modifications, the 1903 rifle was the standard until World War II. It was followed by the semi-automatic M1 Garland rifle. Its magazine held eight shots, and the weapon was used until 1957.

After the middle of the twentieth century, increased firepower from the individual rifle was the hallmark. The M14 rifle, with a 7.62-milimeter caliber bullet, replaced the M1. The M14 had a twenty-round magazine with the capacity for fully automatic fire. During the Vietnam War the AR-15 became the basic weapon with a 5.56-mm cartridge. After alleged issues of jamming were solved and other ammunition improvements were made, the weapon became the U.S. Rifle M16 Al in 1967. Despite air power, atomic weapons, and other military developments, an infantry equipped with some type of rifle remained essential to national defense and military posture into the twenty-first century.

Kindig, Joe. Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle in Its Golden Age. Wilmington, Del.: G. N. Hyatt, 1960.

O'Connell, Robert L. Of Arms and Men: A History of War, Weapons, and Aggression. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989. A masterful overview.

Smith, Graham, ed. Military Small Arms. London: Salamander Books, 1994. Impressive photographs.

The City of Rifle is a Home Rule Municipality in Garfield County, Colorado, United States. The population was 6,784 at the 2000 census. The town is a regional center of the cattle ranching industry located along Interstate 70 and the Colorado River just east of the Roan Cliffs, which dominate the western skyline of the town. The town was founded in 1882 by Abram Maxfield, and was incorporated in 1905 along Rifle Creek, near its mouth on the Colorado. The creek is named for an incident involving white trappers in the late 19th century. According to local lore, one of the trappers accidentally left his rifle along the creek, giving it its name.

Rifle is located at 39°32′13″N 107°46′58″W / 39.53694°N 107.78278°W / 39.53694; -107.78278 (39.536992, -107.782709).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.3 square miles (11.2 km²), of which, 4.3 square miles (11.1 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.92%) is water.