AbstractAfter an introducing description about the development of electric firing systems the author tries to answer the question why so many new firing systems were developed within the last years, although the electric firing has reached a high level of elaboration.The following firing systems are described with their advantages and disadvantages: Magnadet system which works on the basis of electric induction, detonators without primary charge as flying plate detonators or exploding bridge wire detonators, and non‐electric firing systems as Nonel‐system and Hercudet‐system.