a question about lead storage

[Jim Curlee]

I bought a tote full of muzzleloader stuff the other day.
While going through it I found a few "cool" items.
I have a question about one of them.
There was a string of flat lead washers.

Did the old-timers carry their extra lead balls flattened, and on a string?

Jim

[BJH]

If I’m not mistaken what you have here are lead seal blanks. That would be crimped around a wire or such. BJH

[Jim Curlee]

What are they used for?

I don't have a clue; I've never seen them before.

They were attached to a thong on a pouch.

[HSmithTX]

The old lead seals used to be used on electric meters, sprinkler controls etc, tamper proof seal.  They were generally pure lead also, and that is what they look like to me.  I have seen them on cargo containers, shipping boxes, semi truck van trailers, all sorts of stuff that needed to be verified that no tampering had taken place between point of origin and destination. 

[Jim Curlee]

Thanks for the answer, you learn something new everyday.

I'm still thinking he used them as mold fodder for a small-bore gun.
I found some balls in the pouch that were just over a 1/4" in diameter.

[taterbug]

well, it would have been a convenient way to carry them without them rolling around in the bottom of a bag.  Just grab the end of the thong and pull them out, then untie what you needed. 

But I don't know if they would have also had another use, like sinkers for fishing, or for seine nets?

[Mule Brain]

Looks like lead tags to me, easy to stamp and mark

[RVAH-7]

in June, 1966, when we crossed the border from Montana into Alberta to connect on the Alcan hwy., the fellers at the border placed my revolver in a heavy duty plastic bag and sealed it with a lead gadget just like those. And it was good to go when I left the Yukon.

[Dphariss]

in June, 1966, when we crossed the border from Montana into Alberta to connect on the Alcan hwy., the fellers at the border placed my revolver in a heavy duty plastic bag and sealed it with a lead gadget just like those. And it was good to go when I left the Yukon.

Mid 1970s I had a Samsonite briefcase. Pistols looked at put back in, closed then it was wrapped with wire IIRC and the lead seal to “lock” it.