Biometric Gun Safes
CPSC Recall #24-011 — October 19, 2023
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 24-011 |
| Recall Date | October 19, 2023 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | 61,000 |
| Importer | Xpedition LLC, dba Fortress Safe, of Naperville, Illinois |
| Manufactured In | China |
Where It Was Sold
| The recalled safes were sold at Bass Pro Shops |
| Cabela’s |
| Scheel’s |
| Sportsman’s Guide |
| Optics Planet |
| Dick’s Sporting Goods |
| Gander |
| Rural King |
| Lowe’s and other stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com and Ebay.com from January 2019 through October 2023 for between $44 and $290. |
Product
Biometric Gun Safes
Description
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Fortress Safe, of Naperville, Illinois, are announcing the recall of about 61,000 biometric gun safes due to a serious safety hazard and risk of death caused by a programming feature that can allow unauthorized access to the safes. Consumers can believe they have properly programmed the biometric feature when in fact the safe remains in the default to open mode, which can allow unauthorized users, including children, to access the safe to remove hazardous contents, including firearms. CPSC is aware of a recent lawsuit alleging a 12-year-old boy died from a firearm obtained from one of these safes. There have been 39 incidents of consumers reporting that their safes have been accessed by unpaired fingerprints. Consumers should immediately stop using the biometric feature, remove the batteries from the safe, and only use the key for the recalled safes being used to store firearms. Contact Fortress Safes to receive instructions on disabling the biometric feature and to receive a free replacement safe. The recalled gun safes are portable lock boxes, personal safes, pistol vaults, and gun cabinets with brand names Fortress, Cabela’s, Gettysburg, and Legend Range & Field. Model numbers can be found above the barcode on a label located on the back of the safe and on the top right corner of the original packaging. Safes with the following model numbers are included in this recall. Model # Description 11B20 Fortress Portable Safe with Biometric Lock 44B10 Fortress Personal Safe with Pop up door and Biometric Lock 44B10L Legend Range & Field Personal Safe with Pop up door and Biometric Lock 44B20 Fortress Medium Personal Safe with Biometric Lock 55B20 Fortress Quick Access Safe with Biometric Lock 55B30 Fortress Large Quick Access Safe with Biometric Lock 55B30G Gettysburg Large Quick Access Safe with Biometric Lock 4BGGBP Cabela’s 4 Gun Safe with Biometric Lock 55B30BP Cabela’s Biometric Personal Safe The recalled safes were sold at Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Scheel’s, Sportsman’s Guide, Optics Planet, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Gander, Rural King, Lowe’s and other stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com and Ebay.com from January 2019 through October 2023 for between $44 and $290. The recalled safes were manufactured in China and imported and distributed by Xpedition LLC, dba Fortress Safe, of Naperville, Illinois. Report incidents with these safes and any dangerous product or a product-related injury to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov.
Hazard
The biometric lock on the gun safes can be opened by unauthorized users, posing a serious injury hazard and risk of death.
Incidents & Injuries
CPSC is aware of a recent lawsuit alleging a 12-year-old boy died from a firearm obtained from one of these safes. There have been 39 incidents of consumers reporting that their safes have been accessed by unpaired fingerprints.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should immediately stop using the biometric reader in the recalled gun safes, remove the batteries, and contact Fortress to receive a free replacement safe.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Replace at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Replace) at no cost to you.
Yes. If you were injured by a defective consumer product — whether recalled or not — you may have grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer and potentially the retailer. A recall notice can serve as evidence that the manufacturer was aware of the defect. Injuries that may support a claim include burns, lacerations, fractures, electric shock, choking incidents, and chemical exposure. Most product liability attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless you win. Consult an attorney promptly, as statutes of limitation vary by state.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.