U.S. stamped but what are they?

[diggin_nut]

hello everyone,

need some expert advise on this one. recently i came across an area that gave me a few minie balls and part of a 3 piece new york button.
these little guys came from the same area and they are a mystery to me. but i'm not that knowledgeable on military items if this is military.
my guess is it is but need help. what i call the front is clearly stamped U.S.
what i'll call the back of all of them has what i'll say looks like a bomb on it.
i took the photos in macro mode. they are smaller than a penny so i hope it is clear enough for positive id. i'd like to know what these oddities are regardless of civil war or otherwise. thanks in advance. i also found some odd copper all over that day and will be posting id for those as well, thanks for your patience.
here is what i'll call the front

here is the back

here is a close up of the back

here is a old worn wheatie for scale

 

[stewart73]

Lead bag seals? Not sure...

 

[Johnny9Fingers]

They are probably a seal like stewart73 says. I know our Modern day Ammo comes in metal or wooden containers that are sealed with something similar after they have been counted, loaded and inspected. Now though there made of alluminum. Just a guess.

 

[sectshun8]

Lead bag seals? Not sure...

My thoughts exactly

 

[diggin_nut]

My thoughts exactly

would we be able to date them. they are lead and not aluminum? any ideas on age.

 

[RAMBLIN' STEVE]

On the side where you describe a 'bomb', is the military emblem for Army
ordinance.. They appear to be a seal to ensure that the container is unopened.. Good call, guys..

 

[robby4570]

I agree it is likely an ammo box seal or something of that sort. Maybe these links will help...

http://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/Detail.aspx?pid=810910A&filter=810910A&catid=0

http://www.army.mod.uk/royalengineers/history/653.aspx

http://scwmosin.weebly.com/ldquomp8rdquo-flaming-bomb-cartouche.html

 

[robby4570]

I just remembered using a lead seal on the van trailer doors at a trucking company I worked for about 25 years ago, it was a lead disc about the size of a dime and maybe as thick as 2 or 3 dimes with a wire and a hole. You stuck the wire through the hole and then crimped the whole thing with a tool that looked like a pair of pliers. After crimping it had the company logo on one side and the terminal # on the other. It was something like this:

http://www.seton.com/wire-with-crimping-seal-js255.html

 

[diggin_nut]

thanks guys and thanks for the links also.
so does anyone have an idea how to date such a thing. as i said they are lead and not alumininum. i guess my main question since they were found very close to 2 minie balls would be:

did they have such a thing during the civil war? or would these definitely be post civil war or even modern?.

but as one member said he thought the lead were older and that aluminum would be more current i was just wondering if dating it is even a chance or out of the question. thanks again

 

[stewart73]

Check this out:

http://ourpasthistory.com/Gallerya/main.php?g2_itemId=49801

 

[diggin_nut]

hey everyone,

thanks again for the help. i found out through some research that the area i found these seals was not only a civil war location but was also used as an artillery range during WWII.
along with these seals i found a pathfinder badge pin the same day. i know the first of those was actually designed during the 1940's but were in existence suring the 1960's to present. so that is another find that i won't be able to date exactly.

i am thinking these lead seals may date to WWII because they are not aluminum and because of the new info. in addition to these seals i have found close to 100 bullet shell casings and bullets in many different calibers.

i was trying to figure out what the heck was the story with bullets everywhere. i don't have any expertise in the bullet area but there are so many different ones it makes sense that it was an artillery range.

they range from assorted rifle shells to assorted pistol shells. also found some .50 caliber shells. wow those are big. along with fired full metal jacket bullets identified in a separate post yesterday.

i'd love to positively id what is WWII and which is present day but it would be almost impossible for someone like me that doesn't have that military knowledge. the real cool thing is finding all these and the possibility of WWII items mixed in with finding 3 minie balls and finding a part of a 3 piece new york civil war button. it is pretty cool to have a chance of finding civil war and WWII at the same time.

the area is now a park and i don't think any of the found shells are very recent but you never know. maybe i'll take a photo of all the shells and bullets together along with the badge.