I have the following 3 barrels and 3 optics. What configuration would you assemble for deer hunting? I live in Illinois and all 3 are legal to hunt with and my shots range from 10 yards to around 150.
MGM 14 inch 44 magnum G2 Contender
SSK 12 inch 300 Blackout G2 Contender
TC 15 inch 460 SW Encore

Leupold VX3 Handgun 2.5-8x32
Burris Handgun 2-7x32
Ultradot Matchdot 2

Encore 460 with Leupold 2.5x8 for stand hunting at longer ranges

Contender 12 inch 300 Blackout with Ultradot for stalking/offhand shooting in the woods.

Contender 44 Magnum Burris 2-7 backup if one of the other guns fails.

What he said, although I might switch the Blackout and 44.

Just to switch things up, I would put the leupold on the 300BO.

Any of the barrels would work to 150 yards with the right bullet.

As for optics, in my experience, I want magnification for things above much above 100 yards (at the range 100 yds with a dot is fine, 219yds is too far).

The other consideration is background and lighting. I hunted one year with a sig sauer romeo reddot system and found that I couldn't make out deer against the trees at 150 yards. If it was low light conditions (early or late in the day or in the woods) I couldn't find the deer period. I pretty much exclusively run leupold 2.5-8 scopes for their low light performance and clarity. I've tried other scopes and never been happy. To much chance for miss opportunities due to lighting (I hunt over a small corn/bean field enclosed by trees where we typically see/shoot deer before/after sunrise/set).

460 Smith and Wesson with the Leupold for everything. Sell the rest.

I have a 12" 44 mag Encore with a Nikon 2x scope mounted. I have no problem out to 100 yards. My handload with 240 grain XTP's drops about 2" at 100.

I haven't shot the other two but think they would best out past 100. I was looking for a 300 BO and ended up getting a ported 12" 375 Winchester for my Contender. Going out tomorrow to test a few more loads in it. Really liking it so far. It wears a 2.5-7 illuminated scope.

Good luck. The weather is finally cooling down for us.

460 gets the leupold 300 bo gets the burris 2-7 and the 44 gets the dot.

Burris on the 44,Leupold on the 460, ultra dot on the blk.out. Sometimes I carry 2 pistols to one of my stands 44 on left side of me for close up and my 460 on the right for the longer shot. If I try to move 460 to shoot to my left I'm gonna get busted.

I chose the 12 inch 300 barrel for the walking around gun over the 44 because of the barrel length and balance when shooting offhand.

I have to totally agree with this guy.