OSRS: Easiest Way to Make Cannonballs

Cannonballs are essential ammunition for the Dwarven Multicannon in Old School RuneScape (OSRS), a powerful tool for slaying monsters efficiently. Beyond their combat use, making cannonballs is also a popular method for training Smithing and earning consistent profit with minimal effort. Whether you're a new player looking to level up or a veteran seeking an AFK (away-from-keyboard) earn OSRS gold method, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to make cannonballs in OSRS.

1. Prerequisites: What You Need Before You Start

Before you can craft cannonballs, you must meet two key requirements: a Smithing level and partial completion of a quest. These prerequisites are straightforward and easy to achieve for most players.

First, you need a Smithing level of 35. This is a moderate requirement-new players can reach level 35 Smithing by smelting iron or steel bars, which is both fast and cost-effective. If you're short on levels, focus on smelting iron ore with a Ring of Forging to avoid failed attempts and speed up the process.

Second, you must partially complete the "Dwarf Cannon" quest. This novice quest is short and simple, tasking you with helping the dwarf engineer Nulodion recover his stolen cannon parts. You don't need to finish the entire quest to make cannonballs-just progress far enough to unlock access to the ammo mould, which is critical for crafting.

2. Essential Materials: Gather What You Need

Once you meet the prerequisites, you'll need two core materials to make cannonballs: steel bars and an ammo mould. Unlike many other Smithing tasks, you won't need a hammer or anvil-only a furnace.

The ammo mould is a one-time purchase (or free replacement) from Nulodion, who is located south of Ice Mountain in the Dwarven Industrial Area. After partial completion of the Dwarf Cannon quest, you can buy the mould for 5 coins. If you lose it, Nulodion will replace it for free, so you don't have to worry about re-purchasing it later.

Steel bars are the main crafting material. Each steel bar will yield 4 cannonballs, making them the most efficient bar for this task. You can either make steel bars yourself (by smelting 1 iron ore and 2 coal) or buy them from the Grand Exchange. For most players, buying steel bars is faster and more profitable, as smelting your own adds extra time and effort.

3. Step-by-Step: How to Craft Cannonballs

Crafting cannonballs is a simple, repetitive process that can be done AFK once you get the hang of it. Follow these steps to start making cannonballs quickly:

Step 1: Equip or keep the ammo mould in your inventory. It only needs to be present-you don't need to wield it. You can also place it on your tool belt to save inventory space, which is helpful for carrying more steel bars.

Step 2: Travel to a furnace. The best furnaces for cannonball crafting are those near a bank, as this reduces travel time and lets you restock steel bars quickly. The Edgeville furnace is the top choice, as it's the closest to a bank. Other good options include the Port Phasmatys furnace (with an Amulet of Ghostspeak for faster banking) and the Al Kharid furnace (reachable via an Amulet of Glory).

Step 3: Open your inventory and use a steel bar on the furnace. A menu will appear with the cannonball option-click it, or use the "Make X" feature to craft multiple cannonballs at once. Using "Make X" (e.g., Make 140 for a full inventory) is much more efficient than crafting one at a time.

Step 4: Wait for the crafting process to finish. Each steel bar takes about 6 seconds to turn into 4 cannonballs. A full inventory of 27 steel bars (plus the ammo mould) takes roughly 2 minutes and 40 seconds to process, yielding 108 cannonballs total.

Step 5: Once the cannonballs are crafted, bank them and repeat the process. This cycle of banking steel bars, crafting cannonballs, and banking the finished product is the key to maximizing your output per hour.

4. Tips for Maximizing Efficiency, Experience, and Profit

Making cannonballs is already low-effort, but these tips will help you get more Smithing experience, craft more cannonballs per hour, and boost your profits:

For Experience: Each set of 4 cannonballs gives 25.6 Smithing experience. At optimal speeds, you can earn nearly 14,000 Smithing experience per hour by converting 540 steel bars into 2,160 cannonballs. While this isn't the fastest Smithing method, it's one of the most AFK, making it perfect for players who want to level up while doing other tasks.

For Profit: Cannonballs are always in high demand, especially after the Sailing update, as they're required for naval combat. The profit per steel bar varies based on Grand Exchange prices, but you can typically earn around 2,200 coins per bar when buying steel bars and selling cannonballs. At maximum efficiency (2,400 cannonballs per hour), you can earn up to 120,000 coins per hour.

For AFK Efficiency: Use the "Make X" feature to craft as many cannonballs as possible at once. This lets you step away from the keyboard for short periods while the crafting process completes. Avoid distractions, as stopping mid-craft will slow down your overall output.

Advanced Tip: If you have a Smithing level of 50, you can combine cannonballs with granite dust to make granite cannonballs, which have a higher maximum hit. While this doesn't give Smithing experience, it can be more profitable if granite dust is cheap and granite cannonballs are in demand.

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even seasoned players make mistakes when crafting cannonballs-here are a few to watch out for:

Forgetting the Ammo Mould: Without the mould, you can't craft cannonballs. Always double-check that it's in your inventory or on your tool belt before heading to the furnace.

Using the Wrong Bars: Only steel bars (and higher-tier bars like mithril or adamant for advanced cannonballs) work for crafting cannonballs. Iron or bronze bars won't yield cannonballs, so don't waste your time with them.

Choosing a Bad Furnace: Furnaces far from banks will drastically reduce your efficiency. Stick to Edgeville or other bank-proximal furnaces to minimize travel time.

Smelting Your Own Steel Bars: Unless you have a surplus of iron ore and coal, buying steel bars from the Grand Exchange is faster and more profitable. Smelting your own adds extra steps and cuts into your hourly profit and experience gains.

Final Thoughts

Making cannonballs in OSRS is a versatile activity that caters to all types of players. It's an excellent way to train Smithing AFK, earn consistent profit, and stock up on ammunition for the Dwarven Multicannon. With minimal prerequisites, simple steps, and room for optimization, it's no wonder cannonball crafting remains one of the most popular Smithing methods in the game.

Whether you're looking to level up your Smithing, make some easy cheap RS gold, or prepare for combat, follow this guide to master cannonball crafting. With a little practice, you'll be churning out cannonballs efficiently and reaping the rewards in no time.