Check to make sure you have a rife the .323" bore and not the .318" bore of the older issued guns. The larger bullet will go through the smaller bore, but pressures will go dangerously high in doing so. The '88 Commision rifle is not noted for being a strong action, it's action is closer to being a Manlicher design than a true Mauser. In fact Mauser had nothing to do with the design, and was only one of several manufacturers authorized by the Commision. Most commercial ammo is loaded to pressures that will accomodate the older rifles, like the '88 (yours made in 1889). The ammo is still not advisable to use in rifles with the .318" bore. Bullets of this diameter are available to use in these old guns, or just use cast bullets at a moderate velocity.
Mauser 1889
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I seem to remember from my military rifle collecting era that one of the "conversions" to the "S" bullet was to freebore a bit of the chamber/barrel to allow the pressure to drop a bit before the bullet engaged the rifling. Others were just rebarreled.
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