Together with his brother Wilhelm Mauser (1834 - 1882) Paul Mauser designed the Mauser Model 1871 rifle, the first of a successful line of Mauser rifles and pistols. The rifle was adopted as the Gewehr 71 or Infanterie-Gewehr 71 and was the first metal cartridge weapon of the German Empire.
 
Amongst other fire arms the Mauser company also developed the Gewehr 98 and Karabiner 98k rifle series. The bolt-action design used for the Gewehr 98 was patented by Paul Mauser on 9 September 1895. The Gewehr 98 itself was the latest in a line of Mauser rifles that were introduced in the 1890s.
 
Paul Mauser also designed the 7.65x53mm Argentine and 7x57mm Mauser rifle cartridges.