Quite a neat little rifle.

I am picturing a detachable scope on your rifle. Mmm... Looks like a tempting project, as they are not very expensive in GI condition down here, though the numbers have dried up some.

As Daryl says, bullets are not .323.

Slug the bore to be sure, but two friends have these rifles in 8x56R and they slug .329 or .330. Lee made a bullet sizer as a standard offering for sizing down .338 bullets to .329 for a while. Midway sold them. If you can't find one, have them make you a custom sizer. Only cost $25.00. My buddies shoot 200 grain .338 bullets sized to .329 in their rifles with good grouping.

The 8x56R is no peashooter and IIRC "Knock-the-snot-outta-ya" is the technical term for the recoil level generated by these things.