Sportsman's Warehouse Recalls Flashlights; Counterfeit Batteries Can Overheat, Posing a Fire Hazard

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #07237) was formally reported on July 17, 2007. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Sportsman's Warehouse, of Midvale, Utah is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 4,400 units are affected.

The documented reason for this recall is: The batteries packaged with the recalled flashlights are labeled as "Panasonic CR123A Industrial Lithium" and have been determined by Panasonic to be counterfeit. The counterfeit batteries can overheat and rupture, posi… Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details. The remedy documented by the agency is: Consumers should immediately remove and discontinue using the batteries from the recalled flashlights. Consumers can return the recalled flashlights and batteries to any Sportsman's Warehouse store f… — consumers holding this product should act on that instruction rather than relying on general guidance.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls, of which 6 were also issued by CPSC. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 19 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.