Paul,

(Logic being, obviously, that the ticket will give me such
a sense of security that I won't be afraid of hard IMC even when I'm not
current enough to handle it.)


Well, that logic isn't. You could take-off VFR into crosswinds you can't
handlo for lack of practice. You could to low passes of barbecues without
practice. That kind of decision-making is an everyday part of flying.
You're either good at it or not - it has nothing to do with an IR.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)