MAG-IC: The MAG 20 Live Fire Instructor Course

In January 2019 I completed the recertification for the  MAG-IC or the MAG 20 Live Fire Instructor Course for the Massad Ayoob Group. David Maglio was the instructor for the course and we had 10 new instructors taking the course for the first time and five current MAG 20 staff instructors taking it as a refresher. David’s stated purpose with the instructors taking it as a refresher was to ensure that everyone is teaching the course the same way throughout the United States. From my perspective, this will just require a minor change to the sequencing of some of the MAG material.

In MAG-IC instructor candidates must fire the Standard Speed Qualification, a Mirror Image Standard Speed Qualification, a Revolver and Back Up Gun Standard Speed Qualification, and a Quadruple Speed Qualification.

The Standard Speed Qualification course of fire is as follows:

From the four yard line:

   -- Starting with the pistol aimed at the bottom of the target: Six rounds with your support hand in 8 seconds

   -- Starting with the pistol holstered, hand on pistol: Six rounds with your primary hand in 8 seconds

From the seven yard line:
   -- Starting with the pistol holstered, hands at sides, using your preferred stance: Six rounds, reload, six rounds in 25 seconds

From the ten yard line:

   -- Starting with the pistol aimed at the bottom of the target: Six rounds using the cover crouch, reload, six rounds from high kneeling, reload, six rounds from low kneeling in 75 seconds.

From the fifteen yard line:

   -- Starting with the pistol holstered, hands at sides: Six rounds using the Weaver Stance, reload, six rounds using the Chapman Modified Stance, reload, six rounds using the Isosceles Stance in 90 seconds.

Massad Ayoob Group Staff Instructor candidates must achieve a passing score of 90% or 270 points out of a possible 300 points for all Standard Speed Qualifications. The passing score for the Mirror Image Qualification, Revolver, Back Up Gun, and the Quadruple Speed Qualifications 75% or 225 points out of a possible 300 points.

The picture above shows all qualifications each instructor candidate or current instructor retaking the course fired for record. During the course, the class fired 15 qualifications for record although only one candidate fired all of the Standard Speed qualifications (those not fired were recorded as no score). I personally fired 12 of the 15 qualifications and my scores are on line #5, under Eric L.

All of the instructor candidates and current instructors retaking the course as a refresher shot very well. Of the 187 scores recorded, there were 46 perfect scores of 300, one 300 for the Revolver Qualification, three 300s on the Mirror Image Qualification, five back up gun scores of 300, and the class average for the quad speed qualification was 277 points. Great shooting by everyone.

This will be my 8th year as a Massad Ayoob Group Staff Instructor. The MAG 20 Live Fire program continues to provide outstanding instruction in the use of the handgun under stress. The MAG 20 classroom provides the absolute best instruction on the armed citizen’s rules of engagement that you can find anywhere in the United States. 

Together as the MAG 40, the student will have the tools to effectively use their pistol to defend themselves, to interact with suspects, witnesses, and responding police officers, develop a solid mindset, recognize threats, and manage the social, psychological, and legal aftermath after having been forced to use deadly force in defense of self or other innocents.

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