It was nice to meet you also! You should try to get out of bed a little earlier for the run and gun event! LOL! I'm sure it would be worth it! Hope to see you there, have a good one.
In addition, you'll need data books from the powder manufacturers you plan to use - hodgdon's is all electronic for the detailed data and very easy to use. Lyman's data is excellent but can be limited when it comes to the # of bullets they provide per load. If you're going to be using Hornady bullets, their book is top notch.
I compare and contrast the data from all of those sources when deciding on a starting load and then work upward until I find the most accurate load. I stick to the powder manufacturer's max.
Really depends on what you want to do with your .223. if you're just doing 100-200 yd plinking and shooting for groups, the 55 gr BT's you already have will work fine. Your varget is perfectly fine for .223. Other choices would be 4895, bl-c(2), benchmark, etc.. but there is NOTHING wrong with Varget in .223. I think you'll find it is more consistent as the air temperature varies.
Yes, get training before buying accessories for your AR. I took a Carbine class that had me re-evaluating my gear purchases up to that point. Plus you can see other gear on guns and how they help or hurt during similar exercises from people in the class.