There's that fine line between individual freedoms and protecting the masses. Every society has its comfort zone, where it is comfortable with it's choices.
In England, the approach was to take most all of the guns away from society to make it safe. I've heard that it didn't stop the criminals from having guns and the crime rate went up(according to the National Rifle Association).

Here in the U.S.A. we hold dear to personal choice and allowing the individual to be responsible. Of course there is a price to pay for every freedom of choice. We do get the occasional wacko who goes out and shoots a bunch of innocent people. We try to enforce laws to prevent these events and have people act responsibly, but in the end it comes down to personal choice and what that society determines is their comfort zone with freedoms.

I'm glad to know what not to pack in my suitcase to England (no knives). Some countries allow small pocket knives, like the U.S., and some don't.
By the way, on size, and what fits nice, I am personally in love with the Browning Hi-Power. It's "only" a 9mm, but for me, it works on the range. But every now and then I like to switch over to a S&W .357, 586 with a 6" barrel. It's not one to conceal easily, and it only has 6 rounds, but it's true what Dirty Harry said about smaller guns going "bang" and magnums going "boom"

Now we're talking fun!