Just wanted to post up what I had written on the other AK website. In this post one will see that I called it speculation, but right or wrong, it's the way I see it. Unless one has an insider with definite facts, thats pretty much all we can do for now. But I do believe the signals are there:)
This is how I had it up over there:
"Well, I believe that Arsenal of Bulgaria's latest move away from making these stocks, means that they will kick the 5.45x39 to the Bulgarian curb. I also really believe the 7.62x39 will closely follow. The fact that there are so many AK's chambered in that caliber, is precisely why their need to manufacture many more is probably not needed.
This is just a guess.........but these guys are NATO now, so some of the memories of the former Soviet Union will need to be phased out.
They will probably completely transition to the current NATO calibers (including the 5.56). Who knows, they may even place their many good, excellent, and unissued condition 7.62x39 caliber AK's on to the surplus market. That alone should keep them busy selling 7.62x39 caliber AK's for a while.
Sure the 5.56 NATO will be replaced sooner or later, but for now, the Bulgarians will follow the NATO standards.
As far as the American AK market, this whole process may be a very good sign for us. If some of their machinery is no longer needed because of discontinued items (like maybe their stamped receiver AK manufacturing), then the possibility opens up for their licensee in America (Arsenal Inc of Nevada) to get some very nice equipment:)
All's well that ends well:)
All just speculation at this point, but the conditions could currently be in place for such things to actually happen.
We will just have to wait and see"
.........End of my quoted post..........
While it "may" be that the folding stocks for the AK-74 type rifles could have completely replaced the need for their fixed stocked versions, I doubt that it's why they are phasing them out completely. I believe they would have kept the fixed stocked gun as an option in their catalogs/websites, but since they probably dropped, or plan to drop, their entire line of 5.45x39 rifles, they may have decided to send some of the unneeded equipment over here (like the buutstock molds for the stamped receiver). All they would need to do here with them, is to have the U.S. letters added to the molds (a lot cheaper than having new shorter molds made here).
The Bulgarians probably have more than enough ready made 5.45x39 rifles on hand for any possible small sales that may come around in the near future. This is a NATO Country now, and if you think that their NATO partners won't mind that Arsenal of Bulgaria is still manufacturing and selling 5.45x39 rifles........well, lets just say that it will not look good to their NATO buddies.
Example:
"Your still making and selling 5.45x39 calibered AK's?.......Selling.... to who?.......not NATO Countries, thats for sure!! What, your still selling to your old former Com Bloc buddies?!!"
Hmmmm!!LOL!
Nope, I'm sure the Bulgarians will be smarter than that! (avoid too much friction with their new partners).
Now,.... I may be wrong,..... but I have a gut feeling that I may be right (or close to it anyways);)