In what has been shocking news to friends, relatives, and airsoft players who knew Ian Patrick Bivens, more popular known as “Killbuckets”. His Facebook Page has been inundated with condolences and wishes of a better place after he took his own life last 12 February 2016 at the age of 53, according to his sister who posted the news on his Facebook page.

As to why he took his own life, we are not privy to any information and we would rather allow his friends and family mourn in private.

Neither I nor any of the contributors of Popular Airsoft personally know Killbuckets, but we are very much aware of what he does for airsoft as many others are. He is well known for his airsoft gun and gun prop designs, especially the hard to own heavy weapons type such as the M1919, the M2Hb, ANM2 Stinger, and the M134 Minigun, hence he was also known as Mr. Minigun with a website to go with it. He also shared his design patterns to those who want to build their own airsoft support weapons but would be happy if they commission him to make one for them. In fact he built over 450 custom airsoft Brownings for his customers worldwide via the now defunct Air-Sharp.com.

In January 2011, Killbuckets contacted Popular Airsoft to announce that he will be leaving airsoft after his wife survived cancer in the previous year and “to take it easy and live the good life”. He decided to call it quits when in Christmas 2010, he decided to dropped everything for the holiday season and found out he liked it. He also announced the he was leaving his patterns for those who wanted to make their own airsoft or dummy Brownings, explaining that the patterns he made already paid for themselves many times. As a hobby, he will still own airsoft guns to use for plinking and devote some time to 3-channel indoor helicopters and hobby robotics.

But even with that announcement, he never seemed to have gotten over tinkering with designs and patterns of heavy airsoft and dummy guns (for use as gun props). He still found time to build monster airsoft/prop guns that are thoroughly unique. One of his major projects right before the announcement of his death was the Triple Monster Gun. Indeed it was a monster as he put together 3 minigun barrels in one gun. Just imagine if he turned it into a fully working airsoft gun and bringing to the field. The OPFOR will surrender even if before you press the trigger.

It was always a treat whenever he posts photos on his Facebook Page of his latest projects. We always looked forward to his new designs.

With his passing, we don’t know if his patterns will have lives of their own with other tinkerers building on his patterns and sharing them around. He will be missed, especially by the people he made happy with his well crafted miniguns and machine guns. He will be remembered for his work and the patterns he shared.

Here was a man who made things and willingly shared them to others. Killbuckets, may you rest in peace.