Rounding up a few final bits for use with my Beseler 23C II, have questions.

Are you focusing right? The lens node to negative distance is only 50mm with an extreme enlargement. Smaller enlargements should focus with the lens farther than 50mm from the negative. If you have to squish the bellows like that only for a big enlargement, that is probably OK. Set it up for a 4x6" print and you will see that the bellows is not as compressed.

It is normal for the bellows to be compressed when using a 50 mm lens. Perhaps the bellows was replaced with a longer or thicker one at some time. As long as you can focus, don't worry about it.

I have softcopies of the CII and CIII manuals. Email me if you'd like a copy.