Most manufacturers have worked out how to do 6x and 5x scopes now that there isn’t really a reason to go with 2x and 3x designs, in theory it’s easier to optimise the optical design in a lower magnification range, but I’m not sure that really translates to better overall.
Perhaps it’s cheaper to design and build an optimised 3x design, but I imagine the market for such a scope is so small that the market will be so small there wouldn’t be enough sales to make it worthwhile doing.
Not to mention the alpha scope companies that people pay big money for are all using 5 or 6x designs, so the companies must think it’s worth spending a bit extra on the design and construction, and that it doesn’t hold them back from producing an excellent product.
I think the biggest problem really is the lack of a market for such scopes, and OEM isn’t going to spend time designing a product for such a niche market, and a company isn’t going to front up the tens of thousands of dollars to get one designed if they won’t get a return on investment.
I don’t have any idea what they cost are, but I imagine a simplified design might not even be that much cheaper to produce, and now that 5x designs are pretty well sorted out, not much cheaper/easier to design either.
It’s a similar thing with fixed power scopes. Some people are very vocal about wanting a better fixed 10x scope and wonder why no one will do it, when the reality is the market is so small, or only wants one that costs $400 and not willing to pay the $1000-$2000 it would take to actually design one.
Or better yet pay for the USO one that already exists.
Both ZCO and TT have gone out of there way to produce the best performing optic they possibly can, with a bunch of customers that are happy to pay whatever it takes. I’d imagine if they thought it necessary to go with a 3x mag range they would’ve.
I think Leupold is more on the right track with the Mark 4hd, 4x erector scopes that aren’t trying to be ultra-compact, offering excellent performance for the cost, but not going after a tiny market segment is probably a more realistic direction to take.