Are redlines worse to ignite than oxidized white lightning?
Redlines are a lot worse than White Lightning. Strontium Nitrate acts like desiccant and really REALLY wants to pull moisture from the air. Back when I had access to chemicals and equipment, and wanted to make red, I would use a use a vacuum oven to dry the strontium nitrate before putting it in the batch of propellant. The plastic bags AT reloads are packaged in are not rated to keep moisture out so they do breath, so over time the grains will pick up moisture, so I have found that Redline loads over a year old can be hesitant to light. On loads that have more than one grain, and one of the grains is individually sealed, I usually put that grain on the top, and put the older grain on the bottom. What AT really should of done is packaged the grains in the anti static bags that are rated for moisture protection too. (At one point they did this with delay grains... but I mention this in the next subject), but I guess they did this because those bags are a more expensive. This is exactly why AMW loads were packaged in Anti-static Anti Moisture rated Bags. In Theory, An Sealed AMW load will last forever.
Redlines had issues with delays shortening over time. I'd replace the delay grains or use electronics and plug the ejection well.
Yeah, the Ferrocene cross contaminates the delay grains, causing the delay to burn a lot faster than intended. Aerotech has done several things to attempt to rectify this problem. I remember them sealing the RMS bag, then inserting the delay grain, then sealing it again, than attach the header card. I've seen them put them put the delay grain in a silver anti-static anti-moisture bag. Ive seen them bag the propellant. (This makes me wonder if the BT used for the G138 has ferrocene in it because its propellant grain is in its own silver anti-static anti-moisture bag.) It's important to keep the delay separated from the propellant.
All three Redline loads I got did not come with delay grains, They have a label on them that say delay grains are not included and give a list of which RDK is appropriate for that load. Ironically the list is wrong, because the first choice (S) was correct, but the M and L were for 38mm loads. LOL. Not to worry, I have the appropriate RDK for the M delay. I just need to get my hands on a forward seal disk.
Now here comes a FUN FACT TIME!
I was present at the NAR S&T testing session where we test fired 29mm and 38mm H-I Redline loads for certification. That date was June 3, 2001. Official certification would of come later.
22 year old me loading a H268 on the test stand.
Beautiful H268 Redline Flame. Almost looks like a lightsaber blade.
However my schedule did not allow it. 
