I've been using 98 Mausers of every description for my own rifles, hunting and match, since 1973. They've been dateda bout everywhere from 1912 to 1952 (I skirted 1940 to 1947) & I've never had a lick of trouble with any of them.

I've chambered them up in standard rung-out calibres - varmint and .308 match to short .300magnums, again rung out pressure wise to safe maximum loads.

I've had a couple pressure excursions with what turned out to be inapproprate powders (for that case) in some wildcats when working up loads and was damn glad they were barreled and chambered up in a 98 Mauser action - poof, smoke all over the place, no damage otherwise).

It's exciting when you think you're getting there, good speeds, good measurements, good accuracy when you fire 3 rounds perfectly - no adverse expansion and the next one, an absolutely identical load, goes whammy! smoke coming out everywhere - snick, snick, bolt opens beautifully and extracts only a chunk of semi-molten brass. Shove your pinky up into the chamber and out comes the rest of the case.(love those Improved cases) No other damage - oh, split stock and mag well blown out - no biggie - change powders and try again, starting low and working upwards.

Sometimes, just a bit sticky at the higher pressures would have been nice, though.