For my personal opinion, take the time to find someone in your immediate area that reloads. Whether you run into them at your local range, ask your local reloading supplier, or know them through a friend. This is assuming you have a manual and have read it.
Buy them a cup of coffee and ask them to come over and check out your equipment, help you go through the basics, and if there is some anomoly that pops up, stop and give them a call until you can understand what is happening. I have yet to meet anyone in the shooting community that wasn't willing to get a 'new guy' started on the right path.
I've reloaded straight-wall pistol cases for years and have just started reloading bottle-neck cases (.204 & .223) and have a well respected reloader in the next town (4 mi.) as a mentor. (Sounds odd as I am older than he is /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif) He's not retired and has his own busy life, but he's always been good for a phone call... or to have me stop by on a weekend or evening.
I agree with everyone else on starting lower than any max. load listed. Don't become a "Speedfreak" at the expense of safety. I like a flat shooting load as much as the next, but I want predictability more. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
