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Whether you’re setting up an AR-15 for home defense, duty use, or range days, one decision makes a big difference: your zero distance.

Zeroing determines how your point of aim (POA) and point of impact (POI) match up across different distances.

Today, we’ll break down four common zeroing options — 25, 36/300, 50/200, and 100 yards — and help you pick the best one for your mission.

Understanding POA vs. POI and Bullet Trajectory

Before diving into distances, it’s important to understand the relationship between Point of Aim (POA) and Point of Impact (POI).

• POA is where your optic’s reticle or red dot is placed.
• POI is where the bullet actually lands.

Because your optic sits higher than your barrel — known as height over bore — bullets travel in an arc, not a straight line. As a result, your POA and POI only truly match at specific distances. Picking the right zero helps manage that arc and makes hits easier across varying ranges.

The 25-Yard Zero: Quick Setup, but Not Always Ideal

If you’re working with a 25-yard zero, it’s usually because:

• Your range is short.
• You need a fast, practical zero for close-quarters use.

Zeroing at 25 yards theoretically sets you up for a second intersection around 300 yards. But here’s the downside: between 100 and 200 yards, your rounds can hit 4–6 inches high.

Best for:

• Indoor ranges.
• Emergency field zeroing.
• Defensive shooting inside 50 yards.

If you expect to engage past 100 yards regularly, there are better options.

Understanding the 36/300 Yard Zero (USMC Style)

This classic Marine Corps zero involves aligning your rifle at 36 yards, which theoretically matches again at 300 yards.

Sounds perfect, right?

Here’s the catch: At 200 yards, the bullet’s trajectory peaks significantly — often 5+ inches higher than your point of aim. That may not seem like much, but it can easily cause misses on smaller, partially exposed targets or when aiming for vital zones.

Best for:

• Shooters trained in range estimation.
• Full-size rifle setups designed for engagements from 0–300 yards.
• Military marksmanship qualifiers.

Be cautious: Unless you’re trained to account for that mid-range rise, the 36/300 zero can create problems at common engagement distances.

The 50/200 Yard Zero: The Practical General-Purpose Zero

The 50/200-yard zero is one of the most popular for modern AR-15 users, especially those running red dot optics.

• Bullet crosses the line of sight at 50 yards.
• Slightly peaks at 100 yards (around 1–2 inches high).
• Meets the line of sight again at 200 yards.

This creates a Maximum Point Blank Range (MPBR), meaning you can aim center mass and expect effective hits from 0–250 yards without needing to compensate for bullet drop.

Best for:

• Red dots and holographic sights.
• Home defense, patrol rifles, general-purpose ARs.
• Shooters who want simple, stress-proof aiming.

Pro Tip: You can even rough zero at 10 yards indoors by placing your POA about 1.9 inches above your bore’s centerline before fine-tuning at the range.

The 100-Yard Zero: Precision at Known Distances

The 100-yard zero is a favorite for those using magnified optics like ACOGs, LPVOs, or variable scopes.

• POA and POI align exactly at 100 yards.
• Bullet trajectory stays relatively flat beyond that.

Many BDC reticles are calibrated assuming a 100-yard zero, making it easier to estimate holdovers at extended distances.

Best for:

• Precision shooting at known distances.
• Hunting applications where bullet placement matters.
• Rifles with 3x, 4x, or variable magnification.

Heads up: With a 100-yard zero, you’ll need to understand and apply elevation holds once you stretch past 150–200 yards.

Matching Zeros to BDC Reticles

If your optic has a BDC reticle, match your zero distance to its design.

• ACOGs, LPVOs, and similar optics often assume a 100-yard zero.
• Red dots benefit more from the flatter trajectory of a 50-yard zero because simple center-mass aiming covers more ground without complicated holds.

Final Thoughts: Pick Your Zero, Train With It

Choosing the right zero for your AR-15 isn’t just about ballistics — it’s about matching your gear to your purpose.

• Red dot, home defense, patrol? Choose the 50/200-yard zero.
• Hunting, precision shooting, magnified optics? The 100-yard zero is your friend.
• Limited range space? 25 yards gets you functional fast, but know the limitations.
• Long-range shooting? 36/300 yard zero — if you’re trained to manage the trajectory.

No matter which zero you choose, training is everything. Know your holds, your bullet rise and fall, and how your rifle behaves under stress. Confidence in your zero could make the difference when it counts.

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About Scott Witner

Scott Witner is a former Marine Corps Infantryman with 2ndBn/8th Marines. He completed training in desert warfare at the Marine Air Ground Combat Center, Mountain Warfare and survival at the Mountain Warfare Training Center, the South Korean Mountain Warfare School in Pohang, and the Jungle Warfare school in the jungles of Okinawa, Japan. He now enjoys recreational shooting, trail running, hiking, functional fitness, and working on his truck. Scott resides in Northeastern Ohio.

AmmoLand Shooting Sports News

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A multimeter is invaluable for the DIY troubleshooting of electrical problems around the house. You can use it to identify faulty wiring, check if electrical sockets have power, and test batteries. My electrical engineer brother-in-law, Ryan Davis, recently showed me how to use one. Here’s a write-up of what I learned. Maybe you’ll find it handy.

What Does a Multimeter Measure?

A multimeter measures three electrical properties:

• Voltage (Volts): The electrical potential difference that pushes electrons through a circuit. Measure voltage to check battery charge or verify power in outlets.
• Current (Amps): The flow of electrical charge through a conductor, indicating how much electricity is moving through a circuit. Measure current to verify that circuits or devices are drawing the correct amount of electricity.
• Resistance (Ohms): How much a material opposes electrical flow. Higher resistance means less electricity flow. Measure resistance to check component continuity, verifying that a wire or fuse isn’t broken.

Basic Multimeter Components

Multimeters come in analog and digital forms. One of the nice features of digital multimeters is that they’re auto-ranging, meaning the multimeter automatically selects the correct measurement range for the quantity you’re testing — voltage, current, or resistance — so you don’t have to manually dial in an expected value range. That makes digital multimeters easier for beginners to use.

The main components of a multimeter (whether digital or analog) include:

• Display: Shows the measured value.
• Dial: Lets you select what to measure (voltage, current, resistance).
• Ports: COM (black) and two red ports: one for voltage, resistance, and milliamp/μA measurements, and one for high current (up to 10A). Most pro multimeters separate the ports for measuring voltage/resistance and milliamp/μA. There will be a port you use when you’re measuring voltage and resistance measurements. Never plug into the 10A jack unless you’re measuring large currents.
• Probes: Black (negative) and red (positive) wires to connect to test points.

Real-World Applications

 

Testing Batteries (Voltage)

You can use a multimeter to test if your batteries still have juice. Here’s how to do it:

Plug the black probe into “COM” and red probe into the milliamp/μA port.

Turn the dial to DC voltage (~ V).

Touch red probe to battery’s positive terminal, black to negative.

Read the display — AA/AAA should be around 1.5V, 9V around 9V, car batteries 12.6V when charged.

Testing for Parasitic Draw (Current)

A few years ago, my car wouldn’t start in the mornings. Once I jumped the battery, it was fine. The battery was good. But then a few days later, the car wouldn’t start again. I made sure I wasn’t leaving dome lights on or anything.

I ended up taking it to a mechanic, and he used a multimeter to discover a parasitic draw from a wireless phone adapter plugged into the cigarette lighter. Here’s how I could have used my multimeter to diagnose this on my own:

1. Set Up Your Meter

• Turn the dial to DC Amps (A⎓ or mA⎓).
• Plug the black lead into COM.
• Plug the red lead into the mA jack.

2. Break the Circuit at the Negative Terminal

Use a wrench to loosen and remove the negative battery cable from the battery post.

3. Connect the Meter in Series

You’re going to place the meter in series, which means you’re connecting it directly into the path of the electrical current. Instead of electricity flowing directly from the battery to the cable, it now flows through the meter first, then continues to the cable. Because the meter and cable form a single continuous path (like links in a chain), they’re said to be connected “in series.” This setup lets the meter measure all the electricity moving through that pathway.

It’s hard to see what I’m doing in this pic, but it’s this:

• Touch the black probe to the negative battery post.
• Touch the red probe to the loose battery cable.
• You’ve now inserted the multimeter in series and the battery current is flowing through your meter.

4. Read the Display

• A normal reading is typically 20–80 milliamps (0.02–0.08A).
• Anything above 100mA (0.1A) is excessive and warrants investigation.

5. Track the Culprit

If the meter reads above 100mA:

• Have another person start pulling fuses one at a time from the fuse box.
• Watch the current draw after each one.
• When the draw drops significantly, you’ve found the circuit responsible. From there, trace what’s connected to it.

Testing Extension Cords (Resistance/Continuity)

Extension cords take a beating. Over time, the insulation can crack, wires can loosen, and corrosion can creep into the connections.

A damaged extension cord is a fire or shock waiting to happen. Fortunately, your multimeter makes it easy to test cords and catch problems before they become dangerous.

Step 1: Check for Continuity and Shorts

Start with the cord completely unplugged.

Set your multimeter to resistance (Ω) or continuity mode. Plug the red probe into the voltage/resistance port.

To test each wire:

Ground:

• Insert the red probe into the round ground hole on the female (plug-in) end.
• Touch the black probe to the round ground prong on the male (wall plug) end.
• Expect a reading under a few ohms depending on cord length and gauge. Anything over ~5 ohms could indicate corrosion or a partial break.

Now check for shorts:

• Keep the red probe in the ground hole and touch the black probe to each flat prong on the male end.
• Your multimeter should display “O.L.” or infinity, indicating no connection. If you get a low reading, the cord has a short and should be tossed.

Hot and Neutral Slots:

Repeat the same procedure for the short (hot) slot and long (neutral) slot:

• Match each slot to its corresponding prong and test for continuity (0.8 ohms or less).
• Cross-test against the other prongs for “O.L.” readings to confirm there are no shorts between wires.

If any test shows continuity between circuits that shouldn’t be connected, that cord goes in the trash. It’s not worth trying to repair.

Step 2: Test for Live Voltage

Once you’ve confirmed the cord isn’t damaged, you can check that it’s delivering voltage properly.

Plug the cord into a live wall outlet.

Set your multimeter to AC voltage (VAC).

Insert the probes into the two female holes of the cord. You should get around 120 volts.

Move one of the probes to the ground hole (it’s round). You should again see ~120 volts.

These readings confirm the cord is carrying voltage properly and safely.

There you go. How to use a multimeter. Whether you’re checking batteries, hunting down mysterious electrical problems in your vehicle, or making sure your extension cords aren’t fire hazards waiting to happen, this simple tool can save you time, money, and headaches.

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

The Art of Manliness

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Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers features a contraption that slides Wallace out of his bed, downstairs to the kitchen, into his clothes, then fixes him some toast and jam. Joseph’s Machines thought it would be fun to reenact the sequence in real life, but as his video reveals, it took a lot of prep, trial, and error to get everything to work just right.

The Awesomer

If you purchased an Apple device in the last 10 years, you might be able to receive some of the money from the company’s recently settled spying lawsuit. The original lawsuit claimed Apple was capturing sensitive information with its Siri voice assistant without users’ consent, and sending it to third-party contractors. The company agreed to settle the case for $95 million in January 2025, and thanks to the new landing page for the settlement, there’s now a way to file a claim on your own.

To file a claim, you you need to have bought an "iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, MacBook, iMac, HomePod, iPod touch or Apple TV" between September 17, 2014 and December 31, 2024, and believe Siri accidentally activated on your device during a private conversation. From the $95 million Apple is paying out, you can receive up to $20 per device you believe called up Siri, provided you swear under oath it happened.

You have until July 2, 2025 to file your claim. If you qualify for the settlement, you may have already been notified with information on your Claim Identification Number and Claim Confirmation Code. If you haven’t received either but believe the settlement applies, you’re free to submit a claim on your own.

Apple claims that Siri was designed with protecting users’ privacy in mind, and agreeing to share data to improve the voice assistant — through your device’s Privacy & Security settings — never uses audio recordings or transcripts for anything other than training. In the case of newer devices, voice data is processed locally anyway, so agreeing to share your data is supposed to be the only way Apple could ever access it.

Given the growing focus on AI, and the large amounts of data needed to train it, there’s good reason to be skeptical about where companies are getting their training material. Apple prefers to get its customers consent, but the company has turned to new sources to help its AI research along. For example, Apple recently disclosed that it will start using the images captured for its Street View-esque feature in Apple Maps to train its models.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/you-can-now-claim-your-piece-of-apples-95-million-siri-privacy-settlement-213020351.html?src=rssEngadget

To help beginners and professionals alike, we are sharing a comprehensive Python cheatsheet that covers everything from the basic syntax to powerful data science libraries. Bookmark it, print it, share it—this is the companion you didn’t know you needed.Planet Python

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The officer couldn’t stop laughing 😂

Not the Bee

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Learn how to use Laravel’s database migrations to create comments on tables and track sensitive data in database applications.

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The post Using Database Comments to Track Columns With Sensitive Data appeared first on Laravel News.

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The way-too-good-to-be-playing-in-a-garage Middle Aged Dad Jam Band is back with another great cover. This time, they’re joined by Reno 911! alum Kerri Kenney-Silver, who lends her vocal talents to this spirited rendition of The Breeders’ track Cannonball. It’s a fun and energetic performance that’s sure to bring back good memories for ’90s kids.

The Awesomer

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Gizmodo

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Scalable systems live or die by schema clarity. That’s why most engineers now use database diagram tools to map, manage, and document their structures. But not all tools are built for modern, fast-moving teams. Here’s a look at the top database diagram tools making a difference in 2025.

The post Best Database Diagram Tools– Free and Paid  appeared first on Devart Blog.

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