I have several guns in both calibers, and with 7.62x39, I have always bought Silver Bear, Brown Bear, Golden Tiger, Tula, and a few others.  On the other hand, with 5.45x39, I have only ever owned Tula and Silver Bear. i do not shoot surplus in any of my guns.

Maybe someone who imports ammo can answer this, but how come 5.45x39 isn't imported in other brands like Brown Bear, and Golden Tiger, and in higher quantities like 7.62x39?  Is it b/c the surplus has always been the main thing people bought, or is it because these brands simply do not make it, or is it because this round is in higher demand around the globe than 7.62x39?  

I love the round just as much as 7.62x39 if not more, and I'd love to have more different types to try out instead of always the same two.

I've got around 10,000 rounds of each so I'm in no need to start panic buying, but I'd simply like to have more options to try out.

Thanks for any replies.

I'd imagine that no demand for hunting has something to do with it.

This, coupled with the fact the most people seem to gravitate to the cheapest ammo they can get, in this case surplus, doesn't make it really worthwhile for ammo makers to produce many variants of 5.45. Golden Tiger did for a bit but ceased for pretty much this reason.

+1.

Although 5.45 has increased in popularity, it's still pretty much a niche caliber in America.  I have no doubt there will always be ammo for it, although it may not always be inexpensive.  But even that's relative.  A case of the expensive Hornaday 5.45 isn't any more expensive than a case of good 5.56.  

I believe the reason has been the availability of CHEAP, HIGH QUALITY SURPLUS. The Bulgarian and Russian '70s and '80s 5.45 surplus used to be as cheap as $0.08/round and is consistent and sure fire. It is cheap because it was purchased and paid for long ago by governments that no longer exist.

New, commercial production ammunition simply cannot compete with it. Their production costs are real and paid for with today's dollars. Also, the commercial stuff is generally not up to the standard of military ammunition. Honestly, the commercial product offers nothing over the surplus other than being "non-corrosive" (if you consider that a "plus" ). I much prefer surplus 5.45 over the commercial load even if price were not a factor.

I predict that as the supply of surplus 5.45 dries up, there will be more and more commercial product supplied to fill the demand but at a higher price.

Ukraine is the reason that the surplus 5.45 dried up. With their new Pro-Putin president all surplus ammo shipments are on hold.