MAG-40-Armed Citizens' Rules of Engagement + Livefire Course

Taught in person by Massad Ayoob

A high intensity, four-day, 40-hour immersion course in rules of engagement for armed law-abiding private citizens, emphasizing legal issues, tactical issues, and aftermath management. Classroom topics will include understanding lethal force issues, interacting with suspects, witnesses, responding police officers, threat recognition and mind-set, how to deal with violent opponents at gunpoint, management of social and psychological aftermath after having had to use lethal force in defense of self or others, and "Courtroom Survival" including 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: This class is suitable for shooters of all levels. Concealed Pistol License or LE Credentials must be presented the first day of class.

4 Days: Thursday 7/17 to Sunday 7/20, 2025

TUITION: $1000

On the range, livefire instruction is based upon Ayoob's StressFire handgunning techniques. After interviewing hundreds of officers who had survived gunfights, Ayoob drew on their experiences, combined with his own extensive research to create a powerful combat handgun system, initially known as the StressFire shooting method. Ayoob's research showed that in life threatening situations, human beings experience profound physical and psychological pressures causing deterioration of fine motor skills, and altering perceptions of time and other sensory inputs. Combining proven shooting techniques with principles from various martial arts styles, StressFire is a system that not only works under the enormous stress of violent encounters but actually feeds off it.

These techniques are designed to bring out the student's maximum potential for shooting a handgun under stress and to achieve the optimum blend of speed and accuracy. Students will learn drawing from concealment, two-handed shooting stances, one-handed shooting with either hand, shooting from positions that work from behind cover, speed reloading and more with overall emphasis on fast, accurate shot placement. Training includes completion of a police-style qualification. This instruction is ideal for the shooter who wishes to hone and fine-tune their techniques. This is not a program for beginners or those new to the handgun; we recommend completion of our Level 2: Defensive Handgun class or equivalent from another reputable firearms training school prior to attending.

Live fire instruction includes

• Core Pistol and/or Revolver techniques
• Emergency reload techniques
• Several Stances and different grip techniques
• Shooting with strength and speed
• Cover positions
• Shooting at distances from 4 yard to accuracy out to 15 yards
• Strong hand only as well as weak hand only techniques
• Alternate sighting techniques for speed and accuracy

About the instructor:
For over three decades, the Firearms Academy of Seattle, Inc. has hosted Massad Ayoob in the Pacific Northwest, making his exceptional training courses accessible to area residents. Ayoob's qualifications to teach this material is unparalleled--

• Nationally recognized as an authority on use of deadly force
• Sought-after expert court witness
• Fully-sworn police officer, involved in law enforcement since 1972
• Holds numerous state and national titles for pistol competition
• Chairman of firearms training for the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers
• Trainer for police and private citizens in variety of skills and topics including use of deadly force, armed and unarmed combat, threat management for police, and advanced officer survival
• Appears selectively as court-appointed expert witness in areas of dynamics of violent encounters, weapons, self defense, police training, and survival and threat management tactics and principles
• Author of many books, monographs and articles too numerous to list; author and key instructor in eight instructional videotapes

Equipment list:

1. A good quality handgun (we suggest the gun you normally carry). A second handgun is not a bad idea, either. We have seen students' guns break down during these classes. At least three spare magazines or speedloaders (the more the better), with belt carriers.
2. 500 rounds of FMJ handgun ammunition.
3. Belt holster with covered trigger guard (no fanny packs, shoulder holsters, small-of-the-back holsters or soft, collapsible inside-the-pants holsters, please). The holster must be rigid, and you must be able to holster one-handed.
4. Ear muffs and wrap-around eye protection plus baseball type cap with visor (all 3 mandatory).
5. Clothing suitable for spending all day outdoors in the Pacific Northwest. The range is outside, but has covered shooting positions
6. Notepad and pen for note taking; laptop computer allowed, recording devices not allowed.
7. Food and beverages for lunch and snacks.