Are you saying that the airguns cannot be easily converted into real handguns? Or that it shouldn’t matter if they can or not?
The author of the article states: "What I'd love even more is to watch while Melson takes his life in his own hands and actually SHOOTS one of these ATF-modified Airsofts while holding it. Odds of Melson becoming an ex-Grinch? Substantial, I should think." (emphasis mine)
To put it more bluntly, assuming one could actually make these modifications (dubious at best), the actual firing of said modified airsoft gun would instantly send the shooter into Eternity. For an agency with oversight over firearms, they display a shocking lack of firearm knowledge. Anyone buying that such modifications are possible are equally ignorant of firearms, although their ignorance is not likely to lead to my incarceration.
According to the article, the ATF actually MADE the modifications and SHOT the weapons. Are we saying they are lying about doing that? Or am I missing something here?