One of the country’s best armed defense instructors is retiring. Here’s the official announcement:
David Maglio has been a student of the gun for the past five plus decades, starting in 1975. His first accomplishments were earning the Rifle Expert and Pistol Expert awards in the U.S. Marine Corps. After his Honorable Discharge, he was hired as a Deputy Sheriff. David was Top Gun at his Police Academy class and numerous years at his department’s annual qualifications. David retired from law enforcement after 26 years of service to his community.
I met David in September of 1994. At the time, David had only taken one other Lethal Force Institute Course before taking LFI-I. David has since taken every course I have offered. In 2004, David enrolled in the highest-level course within my curriculum, LFI-IV. David is still the record holder for the Quad Speed Qualification two plus decades later.
With my approval, David developed the MAG-30, Shooter Development Course, which has become a great success. David has one student that has taken MAG-30 seven times. David also developed the MAG-IC (Massad Ayoob Group – Instructor Course) program and both the MAG-Defensive Pistol Skills and Defensive Rifle Skills courses.
David hosted MAG-180 (formally LFI-IV) twice, once in 2018 and again in 2023. David’s accomplishments as a shooter, instructor, and host are noteworthy to say the least.
After 33 years of service to my organization, David formally announced his retirement to me last week. David requested to have a final Victory Lap this June. I have granted permission to David for his Flyby. David’s last MAG-30 Course is scheduled starting Friday, June 12, 2026, in Bonfield, Illinois. If you wish to be part of a closing chapter within the training community, you should sign up for MAG-30 on the MAG website. www.massadayoobgroup.com
Please take this opportunity with me to wish David well on the next chapter of his life. Brother David, thank you for everything. You will be missed. Enjoy your retirement with your soon to be bride, Dr. Angela Haendel.
I’m so very thankful for the instruction provided by Mas, David Maglio and other armed defense instructors. Their wisdom and knowledge is provided to the public, and our lives are much improved because of that. What they teach is desperately needed in order to fight in the eternal struggle of Good against Evil.
May God’s blessing be on David Maglio’s upcoming marriage and retirement.
You will be missed Brother David.
Congratulations Dave!
I was there August 25 in the LFI-IV class when Dave beat Mas by one point, 299 out of 300! The 299 was only because one shot was an eighth of inch outside of the line.
Quite the day as I remember. I hope you have a peaceful and enjoyable retirement.
I remember Mas talking about him regularly at the LTM courses, and those before LFI. Sadly, police training is going backwards again as evidenced by the things happening nowadays. The training world will miss him.
I took my range portion of Mag 40 with David back in 2012, and was fortunate enough to tie him on the qualification course. Knowing David’s accomplishments, I take that as an honor. He’s a helluva instructor. Best wishes on your retirement, David. (Oh, and I finally did get myself a Glock 19, too!)
Heartiest congrats and blessings to David! I’ll always be grateful for his contributions to my first book (forever grateful to you as well, Mas)!
Many thanks to David. I was fortunate to attend his final MAG-180 as well as one of his MAG-30 offerings. I have incorporated several of his teaching points into my instruction of other shooters.
He certainly deserves a very happy retirement. May he also be blessed with a wonderful marriage.
Marital advice: Misses are bad; but a Missus is good. Never confuse the two. Correct the former but avoid trying to correct the latter.
Here’s wishing David and his Dr./Mrs. much joy!
Congratulations, Brother David!
Massad, allow me to add that David’s contribution to pistol competitive shooting has been tremendous. He helped found the first IDPA club in Wisconsin in 2001, and won Top Overall Shooter at the first State IDPA Championship that same year. I shot many IDPA matches with David throughout the Midwest over the next 3 years, and as I recall he was the top shooter at every club match and sanctioned IDPA match we ever shot together. We became LFI-certified Staff Instructors together in 2003, and over the next 7 years it was an honor to serve as a co-instructor and assistant instructor with him. David greatly assisted the founding of my training company, Tactical Anatomy Systems, and has been instrumental in the promulgation of 3D anatomically correct targeting training for the past 20 years. David has been the best, most diligent, most honest, and most competent business partner I have ever had. His presence and activity in the training community will be sorely missed.
Congrats Dave,
A retirement well earned though I seriously doubt you will ever actually retire, slow down a bit perhaps but not retire. Your too good at what you do and you love it.
Best wishes for your upcoming nuptials. About time some patient woman makes an honest man out of you. Sending much happiness your way !!
Well done my friend 🙂
Very proud of my son David Maglio.
Happy to be the first to introduce
Firearms into his life.
I passed onto him, Safely, Respect, and responsibility when using and handling firearms.
To the best of my ability.
I thought it was the best thing for a father to do
for his only son..
Then, David decided to take it to the next level.
David enlisted in the “UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS”.
They were the ones that polished/finished him off.
I salute the Marine Corps for their job.
Also-
I Salute my only son.
Well done
Dad
David has been a mentor and friend since we met in 2019. I have trained under him every opportunity I have had and am fortunate to have many opportunities. Best of luck David and Angie. Love you both !!!!
Congratulations David on a well earned retirement, and thank you for your service – as a Marine, as a Law Enforcement Office, and an instructor, and as a good friend of mine for the past 45-plus years. I take some credit for introducing David to LFI as David joined me in my first LFI class back around 1993. Little did I know how far he would take it. Apparently what happened in Winamac didn’t stay in Winamac.
I have over 250 hours in class with David and about 18,000 rounds fired under his direct supervision. Anything good I can do with a handgun came from him. I’m happy for David and Angie but also melancholy at the end of an era. “… and no one got shot”