Need some advice...

[What's_nitro?]

Thanks for your input, BG.

I attached the datasheets for what I had in mind for Q2 and the protection diodes.

The transistors have a C-E voltage of 1000V max, but the EMF will probably exceed that value so that's why the diode is still there.

The diodes are 1200V, 7.5kHZ; so <70uS response time. I was just thinking it may make sense to have a diode on the collector side as well to prevent the caps from being charged in reverse.

As far as mechanical vs. optical trigger, I'm still on the fence about it.