Biometric Gun Safe Recall Investigation

Berger Montague PC is investigating the recent recalls of biometric gun safes — products designed to offer the highest level of security for firearms. Biometric gun safes are touted as advanced security solutions that use fingerprint recognition to grant access to authorized users. The recalls have raised serious concerns about their reliability and safety.  

Over the past year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and several manufacturers issued three separate recalls of biometric gun safes that were sold nationwide, for a total of over 250,000 units. The malfunction is allegedly responsible for the death of a 12-year-old boy and the agency states it has received 77 reports of safes being opened by unauthorized users. The CPSC warns consumers to stop using the safes immediately.

The recalled gun safes are portable lock boxes, personal safes, pistol vaults, and gun cabinets with brand names Fortress, Cabela’s, Gettysburg, Legend Range & Field, Awesafe, Bulldog, Machir, BBRKIN “MouTec,” Sports Afield, and Sanctuary.

Consumers are reporting not hearing back from manufacturers and only receiving replacement safes instead of refunds.

Recalled Models

On October 19, 2023, the CPSC announced a recall of the following safes 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:

• Fortress Portable Safe with Biometric Lock – Model No. 11B20
• Fortress Personal Safe with Pop up door and Biometric Lock – Model No. 44B10
• Legend Range & Field Personal Safe with Pop up door and Biometric Lock – Model No. 44B10L
• Fortress Medium Personal Safe with Biometric Lock – Model No. 44B20
• Fortress Quick Access Safe with Biometric Lock – Model No. 55B20
• Fortress Large Quick Access Safe with Biometric Lock – Model No. 55B30
• Gettysburg Large Quick Access Safe with Biometric Lock – Model No. 55B30G
• Cabela’s 4 Gun Safe with Biometric Lock – Model No. 4BGGBP
• Cabela’s Biometric Personal Safe – Model No. 55B30BP

The CPSC announced on February 22, 2024, a recall of the following 120,000 safes:

• Awesafe safes sold at Walmart and Amazon identified as black and can fit two pistols and have the brand name “Awesafe” on the front
• Bulldog safes sold at Bass Pro Shops, Walmart, Amazon, and firearm stores nationwide identified by the following model numbers:
  • Magnum Biometric Pistol Vault – BD4030
  • Magnum Biometric Pistol Vault with Shelf – BD4040B
  • Magnum Biometric Top Load Pistol Vault – BD4055B
• Machir safes sold at Walmart and Machir.com identified through the following serial number ranges:
  • SW190035551 – SW190038050
  • SW190070151 – SW190072650
  • SW190175401 – SW190175857
  • SW190262061 – SW190264301
  • SVA2001200005001 – SVA2001200007000
  • SVA2001200014632 – SVA2001200014995
  • SVA2001200015001 – SVA2001200017577
  • SVA2001200086685 – SVA2001200089624
  • SVA2001200164001 – SVA2001200165000
  • SVA2001200115471 – SVA2001200119880
  • SVA2001200122399 – SVA2001200124758
  • SVA2001200172611 – SVA2001200174080
• BBRKIN “MouTec” safes sold on Amazon identified as having the following serial range:
  • SQC202121000 through SQC202247603

The following 133,000 safes were recalled on June 6, 2024,:

• Sports Afield Home Defense 4-Gun Biometric Safes sold at firearm and sporting goods stores nationwide and online
• Sanctuary Quick Access Biometric Home Safe sold at Costco and other stores nationwide, and online at Costco.com

About Berger Montague

Berger Montague is one of the nation’s preeminent law firms focusing on complex civil litigation, class actions and mass torts in federal and state courts throughout the United States. The firm is active in the fields of antitrust, commercial litigation, consumer protection, defective products, environmental law, employment law, securities and whistleblower cases, among other practice areas. For more than 50 years Berger Montague has played leading roles in precedent-setting cases and has recovered over $50 billion for its clients and the classes they have represented. Berger Montague is headquartered in Philadelphia and has offices in Chicago, Minneapolis, San Diego, San Francisco, Toronto, Washington, D.C., and Wilmington, DE.