Does reasonable, sane Gun Control have any effect on murder rates?

In the UK, they responded to the actions of one uniquely crazy individual by enacting strict rules for millions of normal people. Did it make them more safe? In the absence of firearms, those convenient devices for killing, did the men and women of England and Wales murder one another less than they had before? I got this graph from the UK's Guardian newspaper. The article is here, and is about how murder rates are looking rather nice lately, relatively speaking (much as they are in the U.S.). I indicated the dates of gun control legislation myself.




From this graph, I don't get the idea that UK murderers were rendered impotent by sensible, or even by strict gun control. In 2005, when someone decided it would be a good idea to kill a few dozen innocent people in the UK, they used explosives. I understand that telling a gun control supporter that laws won't make them more safe is very much equivalent to telling a Christian that there is no heaven. It's hurtful, and it's equally successful in changing that person's convictions. The difference is that people that want me to be Christian only knock on my door and leave pamphlets. Gun control advocates want to use force of law.

( Curious about whether gun control worked better in Australia? )