The Consumer Product Safety Commission this week issued four separate recalls for biometric gun safes sold by different manufacturers and distributors. But each recall cited the same reason: the biometric scanners allow unauthorized users to open the safe and potentially access the firearms stored inside.
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The most recent recalls come after a similar action in October 2023 involving more than 60,000 biometric safes manufactured by Fortress Safe. The Fortress recall stemmed in part from a lawsuit alleging a 12-year-old boy died from a firearm obtained from one of the company's safes, according to the CPSC. In total, there were 39 incidents of consumers reporting that their Fortress Safes were accessed by unpaired fingerprints.
The latest recalls include:
- 33,500 units from Bulldog Magnum that were sold at Bass Pro Shops, Walmart and firearm stores nationwide and online at www.Amazon.com from July 2016 through January 2024. The firm received four reports of the safe being opened by an unauthorized user. No injuries have been reported.
- 24,820 units from Machir that were sold at Walmart stores nationwide and online at Walmart.com and Machir.com from July 2019 through at least September 2021. The firm has received 15 reports of the recalled safes being opened by unauthorized users when the biometric lock failed to secure the safe. No injuries have been reported.
- 2,200 units from MouTec that were sold at Amazon.com from September 2021 through February 2023. The firm received one report of the safe opened by an unauthorized user, a 6-year-old boy. No injuries have been reported.
- 60,000 units from Awesafe that were sold at Walmart stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com and Walmart.com from August 2019 until December 7, 2022. The firm has received reports of 71 incidents of the recalled gun safes being opened by unauthorized users when the biometric lock failed to secure the safe. No injuries have been reported.
In all cases, the CPSC urged consumers to immediately stop using the biometric feature, remove the batteries, and only use the key for the recalled safes to store firearms until they get the free replacement safe. Consumers have been told to contact manufacturers instructions on disabling the biometric feature and to receive a free replacement safe or a repair kit.
