Getting the rifle wasn't the big deal. The scope mod just didn't spawn in any merchant. Not even gun runners. Scope was my priority and the other two mods were novelties yet I've got them both just fine. It's like murphy laws.
As for merchants, I think there was one in Hoover Dam (gotta have a nice inventory to have a shop in main base).
Lol I know how you feel, with hunting rifles and shotguns I get all the mods straight away.
So I thought the same would happen for lasers when I tried an EW build, I did'nt want to use the restock glitch, not a mod showed up till level 16+.
Then all the merchants stocks froze with the same base items, so now if I have the caps I just quit and reload for a main weapon.
Crimson caravan, the Arms dealer at the 188, and even the Dinky shop are the most reliable, if not the gun runners.
For the CC / Dinky just enter the interior cell, don't save and check out blakes wares, if none in quit to main menu and continue from the auto save.