MASSAD AYOOB GROUP

Massad Ayoob – Director

While many who own firearms for self-defense have become skilled shooters, there remains a high degree of confusion as to when the use of deadly force is legally justified. This is not surprising considering the myths surrounding the subject and the complexity of the laws concerning the use of force. In addition, the study of a complex and violent subject is often such an unpleasant and sobering experience that many would prefer to avoid. Yet in today's political climate it is all to common for both police officers and normally law-abiding citizens to find themselves being prosecuted for actions they believed were both reasonable and justified. One way to avoid being in this situation is to give up any attempt at self-defense. We feel a better, and safer, way is to become fully versed in how the system works. Fortunately the information needed is readily available in an easy to learn format.

Massad Ayoob is the acknowledged expert on the use of deadly force in self-defense by civilians. Massad had long been an advocate for the armed citizen but his experience as a police officer illustrated to him how poorly the average citizen understood the laws concerning deadly force. In an attempt to correct the dangerous misconceptions on the subject, he wrote In the Gravest Extreme. The success of the book and flood of requests for additional training it generated led to the creation of the Judicious Use Of Deadly Force (LFI1) course and the establishment in 1981 of the Lethal Force Institute as a full time training academy. Massad continued as LFI's Director and lead instructor until forming the Massad Ayoob Group (MAG) at the end of 2009.

Over the years Massad has continually refined and updated his courses and they remain the preeminent ones on this subject. Thousands of his students have used the knowledge they have gained to prevent being injured, arrested or sued by simple changes in their lifestyle and their response to the actions of others. In a time when self-defense is not always politically correct and a criminal defense lawyer's retainer can start at $50,000, the cost of attending an MAG class is a small financial investment to protect your freedom and/or assets if you ever must use, or even threaten to use, deadly force in self defense.

We have been conducting training classes with Massad in Connecticut since 1988. The instruction and facilities here equals or exceeds those anywhere else the courses are offered. Massad personally conducts the live classroom instruction with staff instructors handling most or all of the range work. Class size is limited.

If you keep a firearm for self-defense and could only attend one training course, this is without a doubt the one it should be. It not only includes practical shooting techniques and exceeds what law school covers on the subject as stated below, but introduces "after action" concepts that have amazed experienced criminal defense attorneys with their simplicity and effectiveness.

MAG-40 - An intensive 40-hour course that combines both the MAG-20 Classroom and MAG-20 Live Fire courses. Instruction is broken down into (the first) two days on the range and two days of classroom. While students with very limited budgets or time may choose to take only one or the other of the MAG-20 classes you should remember it is the classroom portion of the training that makes these classes unique and that, due to the amount of material we wish to cover in a short period of time, classroom "days" can  be quite long.

MAG-20/Live Fire - A two day course in the fundamentals of using the defensive handgun under extreme stress. Draw from concealment, two-handed stances, shooting from cover, one-handed stances with either hand, speed reloading, and more are taught with an overall emphasis on both accurate shot placement and correct (safe) weapon handling. The course will culminate with a police-style qualification course. Estimated ammo count: 500 rounds. Prerequisite: Basic understanding of firearms safety.
Instruction by MAG Staff   Tuition $500  

MAG-20/Classroom - A two-day, 20-hour immersion course in the rules of engagement for armed law-abiding private citizens, emphasizing legal issues, tactical issues, and aftermath management. Topics will include interacting with suspects, witnesses, responding police officers…threat recognition and mind-set…management of social and psychological aftermath after having had to use lethal force in defense of self or others…and preparing beforehand for legal repercussions and minimizing exposure to them. Situations in the home, at the place of business, or “on the street” will all be covered. Prerequisite: none.
Instruction by Massad Ayoob and Staff   Tuition $500  

MAG-40 Instruction by Massad Ayoob and Staff     Course Tuition $1000    Dates? - This class is being rescheduled due to the travel restrictions put in place by the state of Connecticut. We will post the new dates some time after the restrictions are removed, based on both suitable weather conditions and Massad's availability.