I've had both good and poor quality guns. My bad experiences with the poor quality ones tended to dampen my enthusiam for the sport and still carry negative feelings to this day. Sometimes, as old John Ruskin used to say, it's better to spend a little more to get something that works than spend less, only to have to go back and buy the better anyway. That said, I have seen nimrods at the range with cheaper CVA sidelocks which I, personally, would not care to own, who are having a really good time with them. Once they learn more, they can move up. Or maybe they will stay satisfied with what they have. It's ok by me.
A lot of this upgrade stuff or attitude depends on what your expectations are. You can buy a T/C and get a well-made gun, but if it's not as accurate as you would like or the gun's lines are not that pleasing to you, the build quality won't make a difference. From a mechanical standpoint, I would pay a bit more for a better made gun than some of the hit-or-miss bargains I've seen out there. At least you will eliminate getting hung up cussing it (and yourself) out at the range and can get on to playing with it.
I will say this. "Custom" guns are only as good as the maker's skills. There's a guy who brings "custom" rifles to shows that he wants $800 and up for. He offers custom "engraving", too. I have seen his work and the finish is pretty mediocre. As to the engravings, they look to be done with one of those electric pen "engravers" and not a hand=held graver plus the artistic level suggests he farms the work out to the local daycare. Still, people buy his guns. Had an old regular shooter at the N/S Skirmish Association proudly show off his "custom" conical rifle and I could tell it was from this maker or one of his kin. Think he paid $1000 for it and the gun honestly didn't look near as nice as a CVA Mountain Rifle. And this is a guy who shoots an original Zouave. So, I can't say dollars always equals quality.
As for the PC rule, I guess that depends on what you are trying to do. If you go buckskinning and want to be as authentic as you can, that makes a difference. If you are breaking into it and can only afford to go so far, that's ok. Guess it's really up to the organization you are looking to join. I once entertained Civil War re-enacting with a group here in Virginia (I'm right in the Bull Run area) and found out I would have to work my way up, depending upon what I could afford. Big money and a horse, then maybe an officer. It was just like the real Civil War in that respect, which was a pretty big turn-off. They may have been PC as to equipment, but they seemed pretty short of fun.
RedFeather