5.45x39mm american made ammo? will it happen?

[mod60rimfire]

I know all the fuss going around about how 5.45x39mm is drying up.
First off, is this true? I know most of the current surplus is from the 70's. I imagine that the good ole ruskies have imported(but in customs) surplus from the 80's and such. Not to mention other countries produced 5.45 and have now stopped using it.(Poland, e. German, Bulgarian). I wonder if there surplus is in customs waiting to be imported. and not to mention Russia still uses this caliber as their main round.

Now we all know brown bear makes commercial ammo as well as tula/wolf(who makes the military ammo anyways) but will an american company ever make 5.45? It seems to me that it is a very popular cartridge as of now.

I can't imagine it will just die off when the surplus runs out...

Whats the story morning glory(lol)?

 

[carbine85]

I make my own all the time. It's the best stuff I can shoot.

 

[mod60rimfire]

You make your own 5.45x39mm!
HOW????

 

[amd6547]

Hornady already makes the 60gn Vmax load...which they manufacture using imported steel cases.
It is an excellent round, and is what I keep handy in a 10rd mag for HD use in my Saiga.

 

[JustinJ]

Like amd6547 say, Hornaday makes it already and has been for a little while now. My Arsenal shoots tighter groups with 7N6 though which i found surprising.

 

[amd6547]

Groups were about the same for me using 7n6 and Hornady...but the Hornady hit about 5 inches high and five inches right in my just zeroed Saiga.

 

[mod60rimfire]

But what if hornandy stops getting imported brass?

I kind of want to sell my saiga now

 

[JustinJ]

Relax. There is no reason to suspect wolf or any of the other ammo makers will stop producing 5.45 much less Hornaday stop getting cases, which are steel not brass. If anything production will increase as the round grows in popularity here in the US. Surplus ammo could dry up but often comes in spurts as countries decide to sell off excess. The 5.45 is the standard for Russia, Bulgaria and probably a number of our other Eastern European pals.

 

[mod60rimfire]

Why is everyone fussing around then?Why would the only imported surplus be from '70 russia?

 

[carbine85]

You make your own 5.45x39mm!
HOW????

I have 500-600 brass cases and I reload.

 

[amd6547]

You are the only one fussing...lol.
I have one case of 7n6 now, and I plan on buying more...I love shooting my 5.45 Saiga.

 

[mod60rimfire]

How do you have brass cased 5.45 I have not once seen such a cartridge

 

[mshootnit]

a while back you could get 5.45 brass for about 1 dollar a pop. I think that someday we might see surplus Russian ammo coming in that is non corrosive. That would be cool. But just in case we are running out you better sell me your AK 74 before its worth practically nothing.

 

[mod60rimfire]

Hmm I guess I just buy as much 5.45 as I can and stockpile like a SHTF nut

 

[M1key]

Silver Bear makes fine 5.45

M

 

[Sam Cade]

The 5.45 is the standard for Russia, Bulgaria and probably a number of our other Eastern European pals.

Bulgaria has been a NATO member for almost 15 years and uses 5.56 now. Poland is also a former 5.45 user and now NATO member so it is 5.56 for them too.
Estonia and Latvia are both 5.56 users.

The Hungarians never adopted the 5.45 and still use 7.62x39 as do the Finns and Czechs/Slovaks.

Romania DOES use the 5.45 but is a NATO member since '04 I think so It probably won't be around much longer.

 

[Gelgoog]

Manufacturers still make long out of service rounds like 8x57, 7x57, and 7x63.

So what makes you think that 5.45x39 is going any where? The only thing that will disappear is CHEAP surplus.

 

[JustinJ]

"Bulgaria has been a NATO member for almost 15 years and uses 5.56 now. Poland is also a former 5.45 user and now NATO member so it is 5.56 for them too."

I knew they joined NATO but wasn't aware they had converted to the 5.56. Apparently Arsenal makes them AK platform rifles in 5.56 although according to wiki they still use the 7.62 as well.

 

[mod60rimfire]

Well I hope walmart starts selling 5.45

 

[SSN Vet]

short answer...

no

 

[harmon rabb]

hornady makes some, so it has happened.

but who cares? surplus is still cheap, and even when that goes, the new russian production stuff is cheap too.

 

[CornCod]

I think if people keep on buying 5.45X39 rifles like they have for the past few years, the major ammo companies will tool up to make the round. Winchester, Federal (American Eagle) and Remington have been making 7.62X39 for a long time and if the market demands it they will make the "poison bullet" too. I was flabberghasted to learn that Winchester is making 7.62X25 at the moment, even if the price is pretty high.

 

[Sam Cade]

I was flabberghasted to learn that Winchester is making 7.62X25 at the moment, even if the price is pretty high.

They arent.

Its reboxed S&B.

Box should say "MADE IN CZECH REPUBLIC" somewhere.

 

[CornCod]

Oh, I guess I stand corrected then.

 

[InkEd]

It's not going to run out anytime soon. Also, it is still being made by numerous companies.