I Open Carry for a few reasons.
#1) I don't buy the idea that there is some "element of surprise" or "tactical advantage" to concealing a dangerous weapon. The more obstructions you have in the way of your firearm, the longer, more complicated, potentially ineffective you draw will be. A good way to think of this is to have your home defense gun locked downstairs in a safe, in a locked room. If you ever need said firearm you have to run downstairs, unlock the door to the room, unlock the safe, grab the firearm and run back upstairs to eliminate the threat. Not what I would call, "Effective". When CC'ing you have to lift shirt, initiate whichever retention device on your holster, (some people even carry with nothing in the chamber by choice) rack the slide and then eliminate the threat. Not what I would call effective.
#2) The more obstructions you have, the more potential for mistake. For the home defense example above, that may be grabbing the wrong key, typing the wrong code, fingerprint not recognized etc. CC'ing shirt not high enough, whoops wore a coat today and didn't practice for it. (I know, wrong answer but we all know that people do it) OC keeps everything very as simple as possible.
#3) Honestly, I should list this one as number 1, but I don't feel like copy/pasting. I would much rather deter a threat than try to defeat it. If I'm CC'ing, the only time that weapon ever does me any good is when crap is already hitting the fan, and I am in a life and death situation. When I'm OC'ing that weapon may be working in my favor and I don't even know it. I walk into a Conveience store with a weapon clearly visible, and the bad guy who is about to get out of his car decides to wait until I leave to do something. Or, better yet he starts thinking about "well if that guy is carrying a gun and I can see it, how many people are carrying and I can't see it?" (Which is why I think that people should still get permits to conceal, but that's not the point).
#4) It's far more comfortable for me.
#5) My wife says I look sexy with a weapon on me.
#6) I have to compensate for.... never mind I don't want to talk about it.
haha:lol:
"Oh, but you make yourself a target!" -- some wise guy we all meet
Okay, wise guy, name one time when someone who was open carrying was taken out before everyone else. Name one time that an OC'er was killed when he didn't do something stupid, like chase down somebody who stole his gun. (not to mention his lack of situational awareness, lack of a retention holster/training)
I haven't ever found one, and I have looked. It's a myth.
If you want to reduce the chance of having to use your weapon, open carry. If you want to increase it, Conceal and go to all of the shady areas. <--Don't do #2