Understanding the Evolution of a Classic.
For years, the Fatboy safe was one of the most recognizable names in the gun safe industry. Dealers knew it, customers asked for it by name, and many gun owners considered it a go-to choice for a wide-body safe that offered dependable security and storage. Because of that strong name recognition, many people have recently been asking the same question:
What happened to the Fatboy safe?
The short answer is that it hasn’t disappeared—it has evolved. The Fatboy line has been integrated into Liberty’s broader safe lineup, transitioning into the Franklin and Colonial series while maintaining the same trusted sizes and adding several valuable upgrades.
This transition allows the safes that customers loved in the Fatboy line to remain available while benefiting from improvements in design, features, and product lineup organization.
Let’s take a closer look at how the Fatboy line evolved, why the change happened, and what today’s models offer.
The Legacy of the Fatboy Safe
The Fatboy safes earned their reputation as wide-body gun safes with generous storage capacity and dependable protection. The name alone conveyed what customers wanted: a bigger safe with more room for firearms, gear, and valuables.
These safes provided similar levels of protection, including comparable fire ratings and security features. However, despite their popularity, the Fatboy models had something unusual about them—they existed outside the core structure of Liberty’s main product families.
Over time, that created confusion in the product lineup.
The Fatboy Reorganization:
Liberty looked for ways to make the lineup more intuitive for customer, dealers, and sales teams.
- Realization: The Fatboy safes we already structurally identical to other product lines.
- The Fatboy Junior shared the same specifications as the Colonial series safes.
- The Fatboy (Senior) matched the Franklin series.
- From a manufacturing and marketing perspective, it made sense to streamline the lineup by integrating these safes into the product lines they already matched.
- The transition took place at the end of 2025, when the Fatboy name was retired.
The New Identity of the Fatboy Safes
Although the name changed, the safes themselves remain familiar. Here’s how the Fatboy models translate into today’s lineup.
Fatboy → Franklin 45 Widebody
This safe retains the same wide-body design and internal capacity that made the Fatboy so popular, but it now benefits from upgrades associated with the Franklin lineup.
Fatboy Junior → Colonial 35 Widebody
The size, structure, and layout remain the same as the Junior model that many customers already know.
The physical dimensions of these safes did not change during the transition.
Key Upgrades in the New Models
While the sizes stayed the same, the move into the Colonial and Franklin product lines brought several meaningful upgrades.
These enhancements are one of the biggest advantages of the transition.
Pro Flex ™ Interiors: A notable improvement, and unlike traditional fixed shelving, the Pro Flex ™ system lets users adjust and reconfigure the interior based on their storage needs.
- The Franklin 45 Widebody now comes standard with the Pro Flex™ interior.
- The Colonial 35 Widebody now offers the Pro Flex™ interior as an option.
The former Fatboy (now the Franklin 45 Widebody) now includes interior lighting, making it easier to:
- Locate firearms quickly
- Organize gear
- Access valuables in low-light conditions.
For buyers who want their safe to look as impressive as it performs, new finish options add a new level of customization.
Colonial 35 Widebody can now select gloss paint finishes, offering a more premium aesthetic compared to earlier Fatboy Junior models.
The Franklin series is known for its 11-gauge steel construction, which is thicker than the steel used in many entry-level safes.
Because the original Fatboy is now part of the Franklin family, customers receive the same strong steel construction while gaining the new interior upgrades and modern functionality
The Fatboy Legacy Lives On - Upgraded for the Future
Although the Fatboy name has been retired, its legacy continues through the Franklin 45 Widebody and Colonial 35 Widebody.
Instead of disappearing, the Fatboy has been refined and integrated into the next generation of safes, ensuring that customers still have access to the size, strength, and reliability they expect—now with even more features.
In fact, the transition could be seen less as a discontinuation and more as a promotion into two of Liberty’s most respected product lines; product evolution at its finest.
For longtime fans of the Fatboy name, the message is simple:
The safe you loved is still here—just better than ever.
