Story goes that Cugir offered Century a 5.45x39 RPK back when the AES-10Bs were coming in. Century declined. A 5.45 RPK would be tremendous. It has to happen. I'm assuming it would be the AES-20B.

The market is such that run of the mill items are sitting on shelves. Needs to be unique/available for the first time in order to move product. AES-20B would do the trick.

I believe the problem with the AES-10B is that they sat on shelves. People didn't want them unless they knew what an RPK was, and there aren't really that many that do.

Average casual buyer who wants an AK probably picked one up once, said it's too heavy, and ask to look at something else.

When Century stopped importing them, there were a handful of big chains that had sold them that still had rifles NIB unsold. Farm and Fleet was one of them that had them in stock, and they sold poorly until collectors learned about it and snapped them up.

Besides I think the interest in 5.45 rifles is drying up along with the available surplus.

The $1,000+ Vepr IV RPK rifles in 5.56 seem to have sold very well. I don't see why a 5.45 RPK in the $600-$700 range wouldn't as well. Cheaper magazines and still plenty of ammunition on the market in addition to being chambered for an "AK correct" round.

I'd love to get a reasonably priced RPK-74 even though I'm not a fan of RPK platform.

I have a Bulgy RPK-74 and its my favorite rifle by far.  I've yet to have anyone shoot it and not go crazy for it.  If they brought them in I'd take 2 or 3 at the drop of a hat.

It doesn't have enough recoil for the bumpski stock to run reliably for me, a couple of people have made it go fine though.