Roskoe,

I believe skills between riflesARE transferable between modern high power (and higher power) riflesand that youCAN sufficiently emulate "practice under field conditions" with a smaller bore --- as you mentioned. The more experience you have, the more you will be able to easily (and soundly)do this IMHO; however, for thesomeone with a first timemagnumto shoot it only off a bench/sled and then head up to the "big time" may result in a "scope eye" for lack of practice and full appreciation for the requisitefundamental "seperation basics"; an old pro on the other hand, probably not.

Good points, and I know where you're coming from.
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Interestingly, so many here seem to think one has to "shoot the wheels off" of a rifle to be any good with it (the old "watch out for a man with only one rifle" crappola). If we're talking high power modern scoped rifles and you are already good with them, then I would posit that it is not the case at all. These modern scoped high powered rifles just don't take that much talent --- now bowhunting --- that takes talent and lots of practice.