It’s a new year, which means we have to endure yet another company proclaiming a new and “revolutionary” bullet design. This time around, it’s the tactfully-named RIP Ammo.

It certainly looks intimidating, but it’s really nothing new. A similar design was used on the old Kaswer Law Grabber (also known as the Pin Grabber) back in the 1980’s. Law enforcement failed to embrace the cartridge, just as they’ve ignored the terrorist-slapping hyperbole of a similar offering from Extreme Shock. Extravagant claims are made, but the ammunition inevitably fails to live up to them.

The RIP ammunition doesn’t appear to be much better. Performance of their 9mm load appears to be equivalent to two rounds of .22 LR. So, there’s that. I’d also expect serious deformation and setback when these are chambered more than once in an automatic pistol. Accuracy? Tactical Ninja LLC probably hasn’t considered that an important factor.

Furthermore, consider being involved in a self-defense shooting in which there’s doubt. Sure, the guys on the internet or at the gun shop counter make claims about “clean shoots,” but things can go wrong and perception can vary. Are the detectives and the DA’s office going to give me a cookie and a medal for cleaning up the streets?

Not always. If I get hauled before a grand jury, using this kind of ammunition could lead to some questions about motivation and mindset. Stick with proven, common designs.