I agree that over the years, the lethality of firearms has been "refined" to where both the firearm and ammunition have become more deadly (and also somewhat more safe). And therein lies their efficacy not only for those who would do harm with them but also for those of us who would use them to protect us from those who would do us harm.
As to increased safety, much has been done to develop personal protection ammunition. In decades past, the most commonly available ammunition were cartridges seated with ball or full metal jacket bullets...military grade. Now there are many more choices of cartridges made with expanding and frangible bullets that are more safe because they are designed to avoid over penetration and to create a large wound cavity that assures to a greater extent the debilitation of an attacker (or a victim).
Let's not up the ante on gun control. Rather, let gun owners up the ante training, education, and on secure storage of firearms and ammunition when not in use.