I’m writing this in mid-December, the welcome period in which for many years my lovely bride, the Evil Princess of Podcasts, Pixels and Polymer Pistols, joins me for a six-week sabbatical from teaching weapons, deadly force, and self-defense. We chose this time because no one wants to train during Christmas, and January is damn near too cold anywhere for students to work for hours on an outdoor range. We resume training each February, having had a six-week sabbatical from training to work on the behind-the-scenes stuff – accounting, scheduling, curriculum changes, that sort of thing. It also lets us spend the holiday season with family and extended family.
We’ll still be doing writing and court stuff, of course, our secondary and tertiary occupations. We may record some more episodes of my new YouTube channel, Massad Ayoob Facts and Firearms.
Early this evening, we concluded our last class of the year, a MAG-80, the second level of training we offer. It’s open only to those who’ve had the pre-requisite forty hours of MAG-40, in which the live fire is all defensive handgun and the classroom portion – according to every attorney and judge who has taken the class – exceeds three years of law school in explaining deadly force law. MAG-80 (http://massadayoobgroup.com) includes a lot of hand-to-hand combatives with dummy guns, carbine and shotgun as well as handguns, wounded defender return fire techniques, shooting while moving, and more. Everyone passed a police-type handgun qualification, shot at double speed, on their first try. There is less time on deadly force legalities than in the first forty hours, but what there is reaches the professional level, with a couple of hours of Continuing Legal Education credit from the American Law Institute and the American Bar Association. When the class ended, we had “tenned out,” that is, every single student rated the class “ten out of ten.” My great teaching team and I can’t ask for any more than that.
It was the perfect way to end a productive 2025.
From us to you, we extend our wishes for a wonderful holiday season.
Thanks Mas & Gail for all you do for us. May the New Year hold all the best for you. Looking forward to a Mag 80 in 2026. Enjoy your sabbatical. 🌀🪨
Have a well earned Sabbatical.
Wishing you a Happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!!!
I had exactly zero time learning deadly force law in my 3 years of law school at Southwestern Law School in LA in the late 70s. (I’m an old guy). The topic was never mentioned. You taught me much on that topic in your great books. Thank you. I also enjoyed meeting you and listening to you at the NRA gun law seminars, and learned a lot there also. Thank you again, Mas.
It is a good thing I became an Aviation Attorney (think plane crash litigation – mostly on the plaintiffs’ side) instead of a criminal defense lawyer,
I took an entire year of Aviation Law clases, learning a small part of that subject matter. As a bonus, I never had to deal with criminals.
Enjoy your “Down Time” in the winter. I am wintering in the south of Spain, escaping winter in Ohio.
What a great idea!!! for me too. See yall all in Feb. jw
You are a national treaure, sir. All the best in the new year.
We had 16” of snow earlier this week and the temp then dropped to -7. My son & I shot suppressed 9mms after using the snowblower and a shovel to get to the steel targets. I don’t see the problem…
Since we are all giving ‘best wishes’ I thought it would be a good time to roast everyone, including myself :-):
What Your Gun Brand Says About YOU
https://youtu.be/wgfkgdzi-Eo?si=tb9S9G_rVoh9tULB
What Your Favorite Rifle Caliber Says About You
https://youtu.be/kuM69i9pbjg?si=bObX-2Vcvd0yJRSD
What YOUR Favorite Shotgun Says About You
https://youtu.be/cV_cxcW-f9g?si=DjiaNDVQMa8zJFU1
What YOUR Rifle Says About You
https://youtu.be/K2l3abm2wEg?si=ARkZ98P69dsQMHPM
Your Home Defense Caliber: Judged (Roast)
https://youtu.be/91lNCeBWrz8?si=cvvb3xQtW-7qv8yo
What Your Gun Says About YOU
https://youtu.be/sObTIL0CWQk?si=C2bHjbEs3isoGN5y
What Your Pistol Caliber Says About YOU
https://youtu.be/jfytNmLdew4?si=0LskHMyi53dUV-eV
What Your Glock Says About YOU
https://youtu.be/0BjZhb0jVwY?si=jpr9Patw4pa_nk4O
What Your Favorite Rifle Caliber Says About You
https://youtu.be/kuM69i9pbjg?si=qKPzQEL1LUVac42Y
What Your Revolver Says About You
https://youtu.be/klXjUoCzzk8?si=uVvS3qkYOjMx5AJz
What Your Sniper Rifle Says About You
https://youtu.be/zkkFoJiTBVk?si=4Lx4q25ps8BeGLzN
What Your Conceal Carry Says About YOU
https://youtu.be/Vw2N_B-nnxA?si=FKrDEEueJrHamuPl
Thanks for all you do for us, Mas. Thanks to everyone who comments here. We are blessed to live in countries where the private ownership of firearms is allowed. Those of you, like Mas, who get to earn a living doing what you love, realize how blessed you are. And, we are blessed, because you are allowed to share your knowledge and gifts with us.
I am a Doomsday Prepper, who expects disaster at any time. Let’s see. Right now, the power is on, and there is plenty of food. Hooray! We are still in good times! ; )
Tremors film quote:
Burt Gummer looks at his bomb shelter for perhaps the last time.
“Food for five years, a thousand gallons of gas, air filtration, water filtration, Geiger counter. Bomb shelter! Underground… God damn monsters.”
Enjoy, Mas, you bloody well earned it! HNY 2026 and good riddance to 2025!