I have a 12 gauge grade 1 extractor- early style- with the pins and the rotating disc in the barrel lug- 30" Twist barrels DT- I shoot RST 2.5" 7/8 oz. shells in it all day long- You are 100% right- you'll pay through the nose for older shorter paper hulls- and as I have 'gone that route' years ago- I found about 50% of those I bought would NOT fire- the firing pin dented the primers fine- but- NO Bang- No Boom--

"The field is the touchstone of the man"..