Hey DK~I'm no authority on reloading (or much else
) but having been at it for maybe 6-7 years, with great success on .223, .204R, .243 and recently 17 Hornet, I have learned a few things.
For my purposes, I have no need/desire to load to the fastest possible speeds because they offer no real advantage, and just present potential problems. I follow the Hodgedon reloading data limits, but if the powder I'm using isn't made by Hodgedon/IMR...I never assume that data (=powder charge) for a given bullet weight now carries over to a different powder. I've yet to work up a load that shot best on the lower end of the spectrum, but the same can be said about the upper limits too. The "sweet spot" tends to be a bout 3/4 of the way up the ladder, but in spite of the extra work...I check the whole range in round #1. Round #2~refine the best shooters. Round #3~load about a dozen of the winners. Enough to confirm #1 and #2, AND zero the scope. I may deviate from that plan if I'm hell-bent on a particular bullet type/weight...and focus on that.
17 Hornet may be the exception to what I just said...but I'm not done with that.
Re: the comment on the verniers~I agree. Ditch the digitals, they're too distracting. It's what I did.
Case length~I know this is the internet where everyone is an expert but me
but I also get some inconsistencies in case lengths, both after trimming..and after chamber/de-burr. Lots of factors at play there, but I've come to not stress about a few thou. I mean...I DO stress about it and do everything in my power to avoid inconsistencies of any kind, but I remind myself that these are desktop tools made for weekend warrior types like yours truly, not high-precision, NASA-grade equipment. So yes..I aim for perfection, and don't stress about how close I get.
As for identifying rounds~I never write on them, I do what someone else mentioned earlier. I used hinged MTM boxes and on the inside of the lid, I'll have a strip of masking tape with the load data above the loaded rounds, and make sure there is an empty row between the various ones to avoid confusion. Also, before my range trip, I'll write the critical info on the target in bold, permanent marker large enough to see through the scope. When I'm peering through the scope, and have my ammo labeled that way...I can confirm (even before every shot) that the loaded round being dropped-in corresponds with the target I'm shooting downrange. Simple, but it works.