October 16th: The Day Handguns were Banned in the U.K.

October 16th 1996 was the day that the British government announced their plans to ban handguns. The abolition was following a brutal massacre in Dunblane, Scotland: former scoutmaster Thomas Hamilton killed 16 school children and their teacher, injured 13 other children and 3 teachers, and then shot himself.
   The Conservative MP David Mellor declared on the subject: 'Isn't it time to conclude, literally and metaphorically, that they game is up for handguns now?' Many protests were issued against the Tories' proposals, arguing for the right to privately own a gun, however the ban came into effect in February 1997 in the hope of reducing gun-related crime.
   Obviously the law has not stopped the gun crime altogether, as anyone with a motive of any sort would determinedly find a gun. What do you think about the usage of handguns in Britain? Is the law too harsh, or is it successfully protecting us from further massacres?