I have the 101 2.25" and think it's a great gun. Neither one is going to be "nice" shooting 357s, but The Ruger seems to be better behaved and will probably last longer shooting the hot loads.

I would prefer the 640 to the 60.

Product: Model 640

The 1.87" barrel will make ankle carry and coat pocket carry easier. The full shroud will be superior for pocket carry. It is an easy matter to transfer the weapon from your holster to the pocket in your overcoat (with a pocket holster). This will make the weapon more accessible.

The full shroud is not a disadvantage for personal defense in my opinion. With practice you can shoot as accurately with the DAO as you can with the single action (by staging your trigger pull). The DAO is a safer option for self defense in my opinion too.

The 640 has genuine sights. The shorter barrel will mean a shorter sight radius--a disadvantage. But for personal defense the shooting distances will usually be less than 20 feet, and that is a manageable distance to shoot this weapon. I like the S & W--I've had several and I liked the trigger pull better than the other options.

I think Ruger vs S & W should boil down to which trigger pull you like better. They are both well made and durable. So see if you can dry fire both weapons at the store and see which trigger you like better.

Other than the Colt Python I've always found the S & W to be the best for me. (A friend of mine had the Python, and I was always jealous of that weapon).