I was 19, learning machine gunnery on a course for the Army. During a live fire confirmation shoot at the range, I put a whole box through the C9 and then changed the barrel. This is the part I did correctly, the replacement barrel being cool and the one I switched out being very hot.
However not long afterwards, I had to move up to a closer position and then grabbed the barrel on the ground with a bare hand, not even thinking. Just a big, meaty all-around grip as I had to move quickly. My skin was partially fused with the metal and it is the most painful sensation I have ever felt. If it had been my right (shooting) hand there's a strong possibility I would've been booted from the course.
At any rate, I got chewed out by like three different people and was formally disciplined, on top of injuring myself, but managed to make it through with a bandaged hand
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