I can recall in the early '80's when it wasn't uncommon to see someone compete and be competitive with a box stock 1911. I used to be a serious competitor but I lost interest when the "limited" stages were 40+ rounds long. And what killed it for me was the 2 hours of waiting in-between stages at the larger events. Oh, and the IPSC snobs, there were a lot of them. The whole thing got a bit clique-ish and a little exclusive, and that turned me off right quick.
They were often welcoming of a brand new shooter, in a condescending way, but as soon as they saw you as a threat, the nice wore off right quick.
