This development allowed for faster firing and was well received. Another defining characteristic, unlike most Mausers, was a spring-loaded cock on closing bolt action resembling that of the British Lee-Metford, which predates the Mauser 1889 by five years. By many accounts, the barrel jacket was not appreciated by its operators who depended on a perfect rifle in conflict. Not only was it expensive but it was also needed in huge quantities to provide for tens of thousands of soldiers. Furthermore, another design flaw of the jacket was its extra steel content. As such, barrel quality was affected over time regardless of the protective measure. In addition, the jacket was not perforated in any such way as to relieve the barrel of any heat build-up and consequently proved prone to denting. In spite of this approach, the jacketed barrel proved susceptible to moisture build-up and, therefore, introduced the problem of rust forming on the barrel itself–unbeknown to the user. The jacket was instituted as a feature intended to maintain the effectiveness of the barrel and the solid wooden body over time, otherwise lengthening its service life and long-term accuracy when exposed to excessive firing and battlefield abuse. One of the principal defining features of the Belgian Mauser was its thin sheet steel jacket surrounding the barrel-a rather unusual element not common to any other Mauser mark of note.