JYD,
You are getting some top notch advice. Pay attention to what Buffalobob says, it will be come even more important as time goes on.
I gather you're shooting a Savage in 308. You're shooting lots of rounds. Let the barrel cool. You'll also want to clean it fairly often during these early stages. I'm one of those fellows that shoots way more than I should to get the job done.
But hey, it is kind of fun, but wears out expensive barrels too soon.
You mentioned that your hand loads shot low even with scope adjustments. That's a symptom of something but I don't know of what. The point of impact should move with any scope adjustment.
Sneak up on the max loads carefully. Watch for any hint of bolt lift or extraction pressure. Those are sure signs that pressures are getting on the high side.
Look closely at the firing pin indent on the factory cases that have been fired. Manufactures of primers have different softness of primers but what you see on you factory firings is a good indicators.
When the primers on your hand loads begin to look like the factory fired primers, pressures and velocities are close to what the factory is doing. Not exact by any means but in the same ball park, probably.
Chamfer the inside and outside of the case mouth after as a front step in the reloading/case prep process. Your bullets will start more smoothly.
Dream small, as in group size, and have fun.
