I have to disagree with those who say Yes to your question: "Any dangers in starting with listed max loads? " It's bassakwards for load development, but if you want to start at a published max load and work down, then it's every bit as safe as starting lower and working up to the max. Published max loads already take into account differences in case volumes and powder lots as well as even temperature. You do need to pay attention to seating depth and primer type.
The Doomsday Crowd are essentially saying that published max loads are dangerous. We already have guys who take the lowest max load they find in 10 loading manuals and reduce it by 10% to produce their own "safe" max, and now after reading this, they'll have to reduce it further? Published max loads are safe and then some. In fact it's more dangerous to work in the zone just below published starting loads than it is just above published max (not that I'd recommend either).
If you're prone to using innacurate scales, being careless with seating depth and anything else mentionned above then you should either go back to school or quit reloading.
Thanks Andy. Actually, I'm reading certain combo's, and they're listing a big danger of plugging up the barrel if you go below their listed max load by more than 4%.

Of course, not in any caliber or combo I'll ever dream of doing.
I reload .308 (Savage 10FLCP-K, manufactured end of '08), for absolutely everything. My anti-zombie loads, target loads, varmint loads, and game loads (less on gameloads, the rifle is a tad too heavy for a brush gun).
I'm finding alot of IMR 4895 loads listed as "C" in my Lyman's 49th Reloading Handbook, i.e. being compressed. Is it dangerous to hold down the bullet with a crimp? The manual talks about how a check should be performed immediately after seating a compressed load, then checked again in 24 hours (and I figure just crimping it in place should resolve that). Should I get the dedicated LEE factory crimp for my anti-zombie?
(In case I need to ruck my rifle up perilious mountains, not wanting my bullets to pop out, as well as work in my secondary M14 battle rifle.


)
joe-nwt:
I'm not particularly worried with the Lyman's data. I'm seeing some overly conservative numbers as compared to the Hodgdon's manual that came with my Lee Breech Lock!

In any case, yes, I did buy a bullet puller, and yes, I do plan on incrementing slowly. Not to mention, the safety scale seems like a KISS method of loading powder (while maintaining good accuracy).
I just got some more powders today. Sigh, I love this variety too much.
(BLC-2 / H4895 added to the mix, plus a 1000 count of rifle primers).
For those who haven't caught on, this is a question of theory, not me actually trying it. I'm too much of a worry-wart to try full-tilt off the bat.
