Ironman Ranged Training 1–70: Bone Crossbow vs Shortbow vs Rune Crossbow
5 October 2026 · 10 min readA practical ironman guide to Ranged 1–70: quest shortcuts, ammo sources without the GE, bone crossbow vs shortbow vs rune crossbow, and where to train.
Game screenshots and facts are cited from the Old School RuneScape Wiki (strategy, equipment, drops, and related pages). Writing is original editorial, not a copy of the wiki article.
Contents
- Requirements and Who This Guide Is For
- Why Ranged Training Is Different for Ironmen
- Quest Rewards to Skip the Slow Levels
- Ammo Without the GE: Bone Bolts, Arrows, and Darts
- Bone Crossbow vs Shortbow: The 28–55 Decision
- Rune Crossbow: The Long-Term Goal
- Training Locations: Crabs, Crabs, and More Crabs
- Supplies, Ava's Devices, and Ammo Upkeep
- Time-to-Goal and Common Mistakes
- When Buying Gold or a Service Is the Honest Shortcut
Ranged is one of the most useful combat styles on an Ironman account. It lets you safe-spot dangerous monsters, handle quest bosses, and unlock later content such as Zulrah and the Alchemical Hydra. The challenge is not the levels themselves, but the ammunition. Without the Grand Exchange, every arrow, bolt, and dart has to be bought from an NPC, fletched, or picked up from the ground. This guide covers the realistic path from level 1 to 70 Ranged, focusing on the three weapons most Ironmen consider: the Dorgeshuun bone crossbow, the humble shortbow, and the eventual rune crossbow. We will also discuss where to source ammunition reliably and when a shortcut like buying gold on a main account or using a leveling service is the honest trade-off.
By the end, you will know which weapon to use at each stage, how to skip the slow early levels with quests, and how to keep your ammo stockpile healthy without standing at a bank in frustration.
Requirements and Who This Guide Is For
This guide assumes you are playing a members ironman account with at least the early combat stats needed to start questing. You do not need high Ranged to begin; the quest rewards below can take you from level 1 to around 30-40 Ranged before you fire a single shot.
Core requirements before you start:
- Membership (all methods below are members only)
- Completion of The Lost Tribe for access to the Dorgeshuun crossbow and bone bolts
- Completion of Death to the Dorgeshuun for a 2,000 Ranged experience reward
- Completion of Horror from the Deep for a 4,663 Ranged experience reward
- Level 30 Ranged recommended before Animal Magnetism for Ava's devices
If you are not an ironman, you can skip the ammo grind entirely by buying supplies with gold, but the weapon progression and training spots still apply.
Why Ranged Training Is Different for Ironmen
On a main account, you buy bronze arrows or darts for a handful of coins and fire away. On an ironman, every piece of ammunition is a resource you must gather, process, or purchase from a limited NPC stock. That changes the value of weapons. A crossbow that uses cheap, shop-buyable bone bolts can be far more efficient than a shortbow that requires you to fletch arrows from logs and metal bars.
The Ironman Guide on the wiki emphasizes this: the Dorgeshuun crossbow is recommended from level 28 to 55 precisely because bone bolts are affordable and easily obtainable from Nardok's Bone Weapons in the Dorgesh-Kaan mine. The crossbow also excels against low-defence targets, which are exactly the monsters you will be fighting for fast experience.
Ammo scarcity rule of thumb: If a weapon's ammunition comes from a shop with a reliable stock, it wins for early ironman training. If it requires smithing, fletching, or monster drops, it is a later-game project.
Quest Rewards to Skip the Slow Levels
Questing is the best way to jump past the painful early levels where your accuracy is terrible and your hits are low. The following quests give large Ranged experience rewards and have attainable requirements:
- Death to the Dorgeshuun – requires The Lost Tribe, 23 Thieving and 23 Agility; rewards 2,000 Ranged XP. This also unlocks the crossbow itself.
- Horror from the Deep – requires 35 Agility; rewards 4,663 Ranged XP. This is a big chunk and can be done early.
- Shadow of the Storm – the 10,000 combat experience reward can be put into Ranged, taking you from level 1 to 27 in one go. The quest itself has no direct Ranged reward but the combat XP choice is huge.
- Temple of Ikov – requires 40 Ranged (skippable) and 42 Thieving; rewards 10,500 Ranged XP. This is a mid-level quest that pushes you closer to 60.
- Heroes' Quest – requires many quests and stats; rewards 2,075 Ranged XP. Not an efficient early goal, but good to keep on the list.
Completing Death to the Dorgeshuun and Horror from the Deep together grants 6,663 Ranged experience, enough to reach level 32 from level 1. Add Shadow of the Storm first, and you can start your training already in the mid-30s.
Tip: Do Shadow of the Storm as soon as you can, choose Ranged for the 10k XP reward, then finish the two Dorgeshuun quests. You will skip the entire bronze-arrow phase.
Ammo Without the GE: Bone Bolts, Arrows, and Darts
Before comparing weapons, you need to understand the three main ammunition types available to an ironman in the early game. Each has a different acquisition method and upkeep cost.
| Ammo type | Used by | How to obtain on an Ironman | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bone bolts | Dorgeshuun crossbow | Buy from Nardok's Bone Weapons in Dorgesh-Kaan after The Lost Tribe | Early training, low-defence monsters |
| Arrows (bronze to rune) | Shortbow, longbow | Fletch from logs, feathers, and metal heads; some shops sell limited stock | Flexibility, better damage at higher levels |
| Darts (bronze to rune) | Thrown, later blowpipe | Smith dart tips (requires Tourist Trap) and add feathers; shop stocks vary | Fast attacks, poison options, blowpipe ammo |
Darts deserve a special mention. They are the quickest ranged weapons in the game for attack speed, and they can be poisoned. The catch is that to make dart tips yourself, you must complete the Tourist Trap quest and have the Smithing level to make the metal tips. Once you have the Fletching level, you attach feathers to create the darts. For an ironman, darts are not a primary training weapon at low levels, but they become essential later when you unlock the toxic blowpipe. The Dart page notes that darts target a monster's light ranged defence, making them accurate against many NPCs. If you plan to use a blowpipe after level 75, start stockpiling dart tips and feathers early.
Bone Crossbow vs Shortbow: The 28–55 Decision
Once you hit level 28 Ranged, the Dorgeshuun crossbow becomes available. From this point until level 55, it is the wiki's recommended weapon for efficient training. But where does the shortbow fit in?
The shortbow's main advantage is that it is craftable from level 1 Fletching and can use arrows up to your tier. However, on an ironman, acquiring arrows is a multi-step process: chop logs, fletch shafts, smith or obtain metal heads, and combine them. Bone bolts, on the other hand, are bought directly from a shop and come in large quantities. For the 28–55 grind, the crossbow usually wins on convenience and consistency.
| Weapon | Level range | Ammo source | Attention needed | Pros / Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorgeshuun crossbow | 28–55 | Bone bolts from Nardok (shop) | Low, can AFK crabs | Cheap ammo, good accuracy vs low defence; cannot use enchanted bolts |
| Shortbow | 1–70+ | Arrows (fletched or shop) | Low to medium | Flexible and upgradable; ammo upkeep slower |
| Rune crossbow | 60+ (requires quests and stats) | Bolts (smith, monster drops, or shops) | Medium | High damage potential, can use broad bolts and enchanted bolts; ammo harder to sustain early |
That said, if you already have a large stack of arrows from training Fletching or from drops, the shortbow can match or beat the crossbow in raw damage at certain levels. The crossbow's real strength is that it removes the ammo anxiety, letting you focus on the actual Ranged XP.
Warning: Bone bolts are only sold in Dorgesh-Kaan. If you run out mid-task, the trip back is annoying. Buy a few thousand at once and keep a teleport method to the mine handy.
Rune Crossbow: The Long-Term Goal
Around level 60 Ranged, the rune crossbow starts to appear on every ironman's radar. It is a large upgrade in accuracy and can fire enchanted bolts and broad bolts, which are excellent for bossing and slayer. The catch is that the crossbow itself is not bought from a shop; you must complete the Dragon Slayer I quest and obtain it as a drop or from another source, and the ammunition is more involved. Broad bolts require a Slayer level and fletching supplies, while enchanted bolts require gem tips and runes. Without the GE, this is a project rather than a quick purchase.
The wiki's ironman guide does not recommend rushing a rune crossbow for pure training. The bone crossbow remains perfectly viable to level 55, and after that, chinchompas take over as the fastest experience method. Save the rune crossbow for when you have the supplies to feed it, or when you start fighting monsters that drop useful bolt materials.
What to verify on the wiki: Exact requirements for the rune crossbow and broad bolts vary depending on quests and diaries. Check the Rune crossbow page before committing to the grind.
Training Locations: Crabs, Crabs, and More Crabs
The most accessible early training spots are crabs. They have high Hitpoints, low Defence, and are often AFK-friendly. The wiki specifically mentions fighting Gemstone crabs with the Dorgeshuun crossbow, which awards between 14,500 and 27,000 Ranged experience per hour. This means you can go from level 28 to 55 in around 7 hours of moderately attentive play.
Other strong options include:
- Sand crabs / Rock crabs – classic low-level AFK spots, though often crowded.
- Ammonite crabs – high Hitpoints, ideal for long AFK sessions, require fossil island access.
- Swamp crabs – lower level, good for early training before 28.
At level 55, if you want the absolute fastest experience, the wiki recommends hunting carnivorous chinchompas and using them at maniacal monkeys in Kruk's Dungeon on Ape Atoll. This method requires Hunter for catching the chinchompas and the ability to stack monkeys. The experience per hour is significantly higher than crabs, but it is not AFK and requires resource gathering. For most ironmen building toward 70, continuing on crabs with a bone crossbow or switching to a better bow is a slower but more relaxed path.
Supplies, Ava's Devices, and Ammo Upkeep
At level 30 Ranged, completing Animal Magnetism should be a priority. Ava's devices automatically retrieve your ammunition, which saves an enormous amount of ironman time over the course of 1–70. Even if you plan to buy bone bolts, the saved bolts add up quickly.
For bone bolts, keep a few thousand in your bank and restock whenever you are near Dorgesh-Kaan. For arrows, if you choose the shortbow route, make sure you have a steady supply of feathers from birdhouse runs or buying them from shops, and mine/smith metal bars for arrowheads. Darts require the same attention: smithing dart tips after Tourist Trap and fletching them together.
Tip: Do your birdhouse runs even if you are not training Hunter. They provide feathers and nests, which are useful for both arrows and darts. Passive resources make the ammo grind much smoother.
Time-to-Goal and Common Mistakes
Realistically, from a fresh account to 70 Ranged, you are looking at 20–30 hours of playtime if you follow the quest rewards, use the bone crossbow on crabs, and switch to chinchompas after 55. If you choose a more AFK crab-only approach, expect 30–40 hours. The biggest time sinks are not the training itself, but the ammo preparation and quest requirements.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Skipping quests: The 10k XP from Shadow of the Storm and the 6.6k from the two Dorgeshuun quests save hours of low-level training. Do them early.
- Using a shortbow without a stockpile: You will constantly run out of arrows. Build a supply first or use the crossbow.
- Not getting Ava's device: Losing ammunition is the silent killer of ironman Ranged training. Animal Magnetism at 30 Ranged is mandatory.
- Training on high-defence monsters: The bone crossbow is specifically for low-defence targets. If your hits are constantly splashing, move to crabs or a lower-level monster.
- Ignoring darts for the future: Start collecting feathers and dart tips now; you will thank yourself when you unlock the blowpipe.
When Buying Gold or a Service Is the Honest Shortcut
If you are playing a standard account, you can skip the entire ammo grind by buying gold and purchasing arrows, bolts, or darts from other players. This lets you follow the same training path without the multi-step crafting, and you can afford the best ammunition for your level. On a main account, buying gold from a marketplace like View live gold rates is a straightforward way to fund your training supplies.
If you are playing an ironman, trading is restricted, so buying gold does not directly help. However, if you value your time and do not want to spend 20+ hours clicking crabs, some players use a leveling service for their ironman. You must be aware of the risks and rules; services that require account sharing may violate Jagex's terms, so do your own research and only use reputable providers if you choose that route. The honest shortcut for ironmen is usually to buy a main account with Ranged already leveled or to accept the slower self-sufficient path.
Regardless of your account type, the progression in this guide works. The question is whether you want to spend your time gathering feathers and smithing tips, or pay to skip that step on a main.
Practical next step: Start with Shadow of the Storm to jump to 27 Ranged, then finish The Lost Tribe and Death to the Dorgeshuun. Buy a few thousand bone bolts from Nardok, grab an Ava's device at 30 Ranged, and head to your favourite crab spot. You will be level 55 before you know it, and the rune crossbow will be waiting for you.
Sources
What is the best ranged weapon for ironman 1-70?
The Dorgeshuun bone crossbow is the best for levels 28–55 because bone bolts are cheap and easily bought from Nardok. From 55–70, chinchompas are fastest if you can hunt them; otherwise, continue with the crossbow or a rune crossbow once you have the supplies.
How do I get bone bolts on an ironman?
Bone bolts are sold by Nardok's Bone Weapons in the Dorgesh-Kaan mine. You need to complete The Lost Tribe quest to access the shop. They are very affordable, so buy several thousand at once to avoid frequent trips.
Is shortbow or bone crossbow better for ironman training?
For most ironmen, the bone crossbow is better from 28–55 because its ammo is shop-bought and it performs well against low-defence monsters like crabs. A shortbow can be competitive if you already have a large stockpile of arrows, but it requires more ongoing effort to sustain.
When should I switch to rune crossbow on ironman?
Switch to a rune crossbow when you have the level (around 60+ Ranged) and a reliable source of bolts, such as broad bolts from Slayer or smithable bolts. It is not recommended for pure early training; the bone crossbow is more efficient until level 55.
How do ironmen get arrows without GE?
Ironmen can fletch arrows by cutting logs into shafts, adding feathers, and attaching metal heads made from smithed bars. Some shops also sell limited arrow stock. Birdhouse runs are a good way to passively obtain feathers.
What quests give ranged XP for ironman?
Key quests include Death to the Dorgeshuun (2k XP), Horror from the Deep (4,663 XP), Shadow of the Storm (10k combat XP chosen as Ranged), and Temple of Ikov (10,500 XP). These can skip most of the early levels.
How long does 1-70 ranged take on ironman?
With quest rewards and efficient bone crossbow training on crabs, expect 20–30 hours to reach 70 Ranged. A more AFK crab-only approach may take 30–40 hours. Using chinchompas at 55+ can reduce the total time significantly.
