How do they square that with 922r? I have to admit that I don't really understand the ins and outs of that legislation, but I was under the impression that you had to do the conversion with US-made parts before you could use the hi-cap mags legally.
First, let's baseline what 922(r) is/means.
It stipulates (in the part relevant to this discussion) that you, the good serf that you are, cannot assemble a rifle from parts if it results in a rifle that would otherwise not be legal to import into the US. When the AWB was in place, that had pretty broad meaning and generally included hi-cap mags and all the 'evil features' that make folks wet their panties. With the expiration of the AWB, the import laws relaxed and now the threshold is the lower bar known as the 'sporting purposes' clause.
RAA has been allowed to import semiautomatic AK-derived rifles from Iszmash in a specific 'sporting' configuration. Does that mean that altering that configuration places the rifle at odds with 922(r)? Not yet. Not until RAA tries to import a hi-cap version of the Saiga and is rejected, or the F Troop issues a summary advisory that they consider a hi-cap Saiga to be either 'sporting' or 'non-sporting'. Right now, there is nothing on the books one way or another.
Having established this, it should be pretty obvious that Surefire doesn't *have* to square it with 922(r). They can sell the mags without a care, since they can't control how you use them. 922(r) compliance is *your* problem. They can always claim that they presumed you understood the law and made your rifle 92(r) compliant, if such compliance is ever required.
If you buy a Surefire hi-cap and use it in a non-converted rifle, you're rolling the dice that the F Troop won't know or will consider that to still be 'sporting' enough for them. On the other hand, if you convert a rifle to be 922(r) compliant (play the 'ten parts or less' game), you're spending a fair chunk of money for the conversion based solely upon a fear that the F Troop might decide one day that your rifle isn't sporting enough....
