Never dropped a rifle down a cliff, climbed down and up a few over the years, always had a belt on the rifle.
Butler creek ones are good.
Had an American client stalking with a guide of mine about 5 years ago who fell asleep in the highseat, dropped his new 270 wooden stock rifle out of the seat between his legs. Snapped it straight across the pistol grip, clean in half. The belt helped though; it kept the two halves together
If it had been plastic it would have probably been OK. So plastic does help sometimes