The Recall Desk
CriticalCPSC·24011·Announced 2023-10-19

Fortress Safe Biometric Gun Safes: Unauthorized Access and Risk of Death

Xpedition LLC is recalling approximately 61,000 biometric gun safes because the biometric locks can be opened by unauthorized users, posing serious injury and death risks. One death has been reported in a recent lawsuit.

What this means for you

Highest-severity recall. Risk of serious injury or death is documented or strongly suspected. Stop using the product now and follow the agency's instructions.

Our severity reasoning: A known death has been reported in connection with this recall—a 12-year-old boy obtained a firearm from one of the affected safes and died. Under the severity rubric, reported deaths result in a Critical (5) classification regardless of other factors.

Plain-English summary

Xpedition LLC, doing business as Fortress Safe, is recalling approximately 61,000 biometric gun safes sold under the brand names Fortress, Cabela's, Gettysburg, and Legend Range & Field. The recalled safes include portable lock boxes, personal safes, pistol vaults, and gun cabinets with model numbers 11B20, 44B10, 44B10L, 44B20, 55B20, 55B30, 55B30G, 4BGGBP, and 55B30BP.

The biometric locks on these safes can be opened by unauthorized users, posing a serious injury hazard and risk of death. CPSC is aware of a recent lawsuit alleging a 12-year-old boy died from a firearm obtained from one of these safes. Additionally, there have been 39 incidents of consumers reporting that their safes have been accessed by unpaired fingerprints.

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, as well as online at Amazon.com and eBay.com from January 2019 through October 2023 for between $44 and $290.

Consumers should immediately stop using the biometric reader in the recalled gun safes, remove the batteries, and contact Fortress Safe toll-free at 833-588-9181 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MT Monday through Friday, or visit https://www.fortresssafe.com/biometric-product-recall.html for a free replacement safe.

The recalled product

Product
Biometric Gun Safes
Manufacturer
Xpedition LLC, dba Fortress Safe, of Naperville, Illinois
Category
Consumer Product — Gun Safe / Lock Box
Hazard
  • unauthorized-access
  • firearm-access
  • risk-of-death
  • serious-injury
Affected units
61,000

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

Related recalls

Same category