But guns are for bullies and cowards. A beer bottle full of gasoline
has to be thrown from close range and a coward isn't going to get that
close.

Use the tool that is appropriate for the task.

But they don't, that's the point. If a person is going out to try to kill a
lot of people then a handgun or even rifle is a poor tool. What's the max
number of people any one shooter has racked up?

I don't think anyone has reached a body count anywhere near the 87 killed by
one man with a can of gasoline and a match.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Land_Fire

IIRC, that is still the largest non-terrorist (defined as killing for
political gain or reason) mass killing in the US.