Ring Gap Question

You could back the gaps out to .100" and not see an appreciable difference in leak down. The gaps are not responsible for keeping compression gasses in. The ring finish and tension is. When you have a broken ring, for example. People think it's the break that allows gasses to escape. It's not. It's the fact that the break allows that part of the ring to relax and lose contact with the cylinder and become unsealed there. It's all about the ring tension and seal to cylinder, not the ring gaps.