That will rely greatly on bullet type and expansion characteristics. It all has to be taken into consideration. The kinetic energy has to be there to transfer it though. The Barnes bullets as well as the Accubond and some others have great energy transfer. I also want the flatter shooting for long range shots. Take a look at the 30-378 as well because it has set a lot of records for 1000 yard groups. This is a great all around round. Flat shooting, good groups, and lots of retained energy.
Actually, it has not been a popular cartridge at the 1000 yd benchrest matches. If you check, you will find that in the mid 80s Earl Chronister did set a record of roughly 3 3/4" for 10 shots at Williamsport using a (250 gr SMK), which preceded the 240 gr for a brief period. But I don't believe you will find any others set with that cartridge. We used WW2 surplus H570 powder, as did Earl with his record group, but we mostly used 200 gr SMKs for hunting. In guns having 36" barrels, with loads of 112 to 115 gr depending on the gun, 3500 fps wasent a problem. We could also use heavier charges of WC872 or H 870 to achieve those velocities also. The 200 gr is a flatter shooting bullet out to about 1500 yards than the heavier ones.
I could get there with my gun with 145/150 1/4 min clicks from a 100 yd zero depending on the day.
At 1700 there wasent much difference in clicks in my gun between the 200, the 220, and the 240 due to velocity differences, but the heavier ones were more accurate. 50 more clicks was needed for my gun at that distance, so you can easily see that the tank was empty.
But past 1500, make no mistake about it, a 300 gr 338 at 3200 or more is a different animal.
But also make no mistake that at least in PA during the deer season, you could lay on the roads leading to those type places with very little fear of being run over, and that might have something to do with talking and walking. lol
I don't know anybody at least well, who has ever killed a (buck) in PA at a mile, and for sure there are some who would very much like to.
Ive heard about a few doe being shot that far, but I wasent there to confirm that the one actually being targeted was in fact the same one that fell over.