Good essay. The author does leave out a factor favoring concealed carry: the risk an open carrier faces from the police.
The risk isn’t all that great and becomes even less as police become educated.
Here in Michigan we can open carry right in the state capitol with no problem.
You are correct, of course. We faced that 20 years ago in Arizona, and I believe we have reduced it to very small concern at present. When I first started open carrying in Arizona in 1990, it was a serious concern.
As open carry is legal in about 44 states, I believe that we are on a path to reducing that concern in most of them.