[CP241]

Just about every 2smoke engine I’ve built the rings stick out like that when the piston is removed. That looks normal to me.

What’s not normal, however, is the rings binding when installed in the cylinder. You were able to install the piston in the cylinder by hand? I would have thought if it was the rings causing the binding you would have had a hell of a time trying to put the cylinder on to begin with. Not just “tighter than normal” that won’t lock up an engine…

What I would suspect more likely is the head clearance. Have you checked the squish clearance between the piston and the head? I’ve got a hunch the piston is hitting the head and binding there… maybe install the cylinder and leave off the head and try and see if it will spin by hand