No. A musket is a smooth-bore, muzzel loading weapon designed to fire a single ball. A shotgun is designed to fire a several pieces of smaller shot in a single load.

To check the nipple and fire.

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Heat, smoke, fire...

Not just the US, but all military forces- for the first time, you could fire and reload quickly- while not standing up! Breech loading firearms meant a rifleman could fire from cover, and not while standing exposed to enemy fire.