Long-barreled guns used by soldiers before rifles were invented, especially popular in the 1600s and 1700s.
From French 'mousquet,' possibly from Italian 'moschetto' (a sparrow hawk). The name might come from the weapon's small size compared to cannons, or its whistle-like sound.
Muskets were so slow to reload (about 1-2 shots per minute) that armies trained soldiers to fight in tight formations so they could keep firing in coordinated volleys—which is why the phrase 'lock and load' comes from fitting musket parts together.
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