Hi,
Basically every overvoltage protection includes:
* a serially connected device to limit the current (even wiring)
* a parallel connected device to limit the voltage
For sensitive devices you may need several stages.
In your case - for short pulses - a serially connected inductor may be suitable to limit the current.
But an inductor does not dissipate much energy. The benefit is, that during normal operation there is not much voltage los, not much heating.
On the other side the pulse energy is not dissipatad, thus the time (current waveform) may be stretched and/or ringing may occur.
RC combinations may suppress ringing.
I have good experience with:
* big TVS, or gas filled overvoltage protection pill, or any other rugged ovvervoltage protection device (par)
* pulse rated carbon resistor (ser), take care that the overvoltage creates no arc
* small voltage limiting device (tvs, zener .....), (par) for finetuning of overvoltage
Klaus