[Pulpmeister]

Well, given it was Western Australia in the 1960s, when armed robbery was unknown, and no one carried guns of any sort--not even the cops--the need for an armed escort really didn't arise, and I certainly didn't like the idea of carrying a loaded gun in my trousers pocket. But the agency had the regulation in place since maybe the wild colonial days...

Other times, other ways.

But I agree with the thesis that you get the likely weapon sorted first, and then work out how and where it's going to be used. That's what I had in mind when I plugged the Beretta. It would easily fit into a small handbag, and be just the sort of emergency gun a woman killer might carry as a matter of routine. Smaller than a Walther PPK even, which is no huge gun.