OSRS Ironman Ranged 1-40: Bone Crossbow vs Shortbow

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.

For an ironman, early Ranged training is less about chasing the fastest XP and more about solving the ammunition puzzle. Levels 1–40 set the foundation for everything from quest requirements to Slayer tasks, and the two most common weapons you'll consider are the Dorgeshuun bone crossbow and the shortbow with iron arrows. One is unlocked by a short quest and uses infinitely buyable bone bolts; the other is available from level 1 but demands a steady supply of iron arrows you must gather yourself. This guide breaks down the methods, ammo upkeep, realistic time-to-goal, and when it's worth skipping the grind entirely.

Requirements and who this is for

This comparison is aimed at ironman accounts between Ranged levels 1 and 40 who want to avoid wasting hours on ammo production while still training efficiently. Normal accounts can simply buy iron arrows in bulk from the Grand Exchange, but ironmen must weigh the cost and time of gathering supplies against the benefits of each weapon.

If you're still undecided on which early quests to knock out, our OSRS quest order guide for skipping early combat levels can help you plan a route that gets you to the bone crossbow faster.

The two weapons: Dorgeshuun bone crossbow vs shortbow

The choice hinges on three factors: ammo availability, attack speed, and accuracy against low-defence monsters.

• Dorgeshuun bone crossbow: A slow but hard-hitting crossbow that requires level 28 Ranged. Its bone bolts are sold by Nardok in Dorgesh-Kaan after The Lost Tribe, so you never have to fletch or smith a single piece of ammunition. The crossbow excels against low-defence targets like crabs and low-level Slayer monsters, making it ideal for AFK sessions where you don't want to think about ammo.
• Shortbow with iron arrows: Faster attack speed than the crossbow, which feels snappier on low-hitpoint monsters, but iron arrows have lower Ranged Strength than bone bolts and require a constant supply. On an ironman, every arrow is either time spent mining iron, smithing arrowtips, fletching shafts, and adding feathers — or fighting over limited shop stock.

The bone crossbow wins on convenience; the shortbow wins on immediate accessibility. If you hate gathering supplies, the crossbow is the clear pick from level 28 onward.

Ammo acquisition and upkeep

This is where ironmen separate the efficient from the stubborn.

Bone bolts: buy in bulk and forget

After completing The Lost Tribe, walk to the Dorgesh-Kaan mine and buy bone bolts from Nardok's Bone Weapons. The price is low enough that you can stock up for hours of training without breaking your cash stack. Because the crossbow uses ammunition slowly, a few thousand bolts will last a very long time.

Iron arrows: time sink in disguise

Iron arrows on an ironman require multiple steps: mine iron ore, smelt it into bars, smith iron arrowtips, cut logs into arrow shafts, attach feathers to make headless arrows, then combine tips with headless arrows. You can also buy iron arrows from certain shops, but stock is limited and shared across worlds. The time you spend making 1,000 iron arrows could have been spent actually training Ranged with a bone crossbow.

For an ironman, the bone crossbow is not just a weapon — it's an entire logistics solution.

Questing ahead of the grind (levels 1–32/36)

Before you pick a weapon, you can skip a huge chunk of early training with quest rewards. The wiki's fast-training strategy recommends completing Shadow of the Storm, Death to the Dorgeshuun, and Horror from the Deep for a combined 16,662.5 Ranged XP, which takes you from level 1 to 32. If you also complete Temple of Ikov (the level 40 Ranged requirement can be bypassed by wielding knives or darts while holding ice arrows), you gain another 10,500 XP and land at level 36.

This quest-first approach means you may never use the shortbow at all. You could train melee or other skills until you meet the quest requirements, then claim the Ranged rewards and equip your Dorgeshuun crossbow instantly.

Method 1: Bone crossbow at low-defence crabs (AFK-friendly)

Once you have the bone crossbow, the best low-effort training spot is the Gemstone crab (or other low-defence crabs). The wiki's ironman guide states that fighting Gemstone crabs awards between 14,500 and 27,000 Ranged XP per hour, and you can go from level 28 to 55 in around 7 hours. For the 1–40 stretch, after questing to 28–32, you'll likely spend less than two hours at crabs.

This method is semi-AFK: you click a crab every few minutes, reset aggression if needed, and otherwise let the crossbow do its thing. Use the rapid attack style and the best ranged gear you can scrape together.

Method 2: Shortbow with iron arrows

The shortbow is the only real option before level 28, but using it beyond that requires you to either enjoy skilling or accept slower effective training. Its faster attack speed means you deal damage more often, but iron arrows have lower accuracy and strength than bone bolts, so you'll hit lower numbers and potentially splash more on anything with modest Defence.

For AFK training, many ironmen use a shortbow at rock crabs or sand crabs while they fletch arrows between sessions. However, the time spent gathering iron ore, smithing arrowtips, and fletching shafts could be better spent on quests to unlock the bone crossbow.

Time and cost tradeoffs

Let's put the numbers in perspective for the 1–40 goal.

• Quest-first route: You can reach level 32 or 36 in a few hours of questing, using only quest rewards and no ammunition at all.
• Bone crossbow from 28/32 to 40: At Gemstone crabs, you'll earn 14.5k–27k XP/hr. The XP gap from level 28 to 40 is roughly 26,400 XP, so even at the low end you're done in under two hours. If you start at 32 after quests, it's even faster.
• Shortbow from 1 to 40: No exact wiki rate is listed for shortbows at crabs, but because iron arrows are weaker than bone bolts, you can expect a slower effective XP rate. More importantly, you'll burn through hours of skilling just to keep arrows in your quiver.

In terms of raw gold cost, bone bolts are cheap enough that you can buy thousands without worry. Iron arrows have no direct GP cost if you gather everything, but the opportunity cost is enormous.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

• Not doing early quests: Skipping quest rewards means you'll grind melee-style from level 1, wasting ammo and time. Complete Shadow of the Storm and Death to the Dorgeshuun as soon as you can.
• Using longrange instead of rapid: Rapid offers higher damage output and faster XP. Longrange is only for training Defence with chinchompas, not early training.
• Training on high-defence monsters: The bone crossbow and shortbow both struggle against anything with decent Defence. Stick to crabs, low-level Slayer, and other low-defence targets until you have better gear.
• Ignoring Ava's devices: At 30 Ranged, do Animal Magnetism immediately. The ammo return effect is pure profit.
• Not buying enough bone bolts: Make one trip to Nardok and buy a huge stack. Running back every 30 minutes kills your rhythm.

When buying gold or a boost is the honest shortcut

Let's be real: not everyone enjoys the early ironman ammo grind. If you're a main account reading this, you can simply buy iron arrows and a bone crossbow off the Grand Exchange and skip the pain. For ironmen, the rules are different, but the time pressure is the same.

Some players decide that their time is better spent elsewhere and use a trusted service to handle the early Ranged levels. Buying gold to fund supplies like cannonballs or better gear can also be a route for non-iron accounts. If you choose to go that way, always do your own research, trade safely, and stay within Jagex's rules. For live rates on gold, check the marketplace.

View live gold rates

If you're also training Magic on the same ironman, our guide to OSRS Ironman Magic 1-55: Arceuus Library vs Fire Strike follows a similar low-supply, high-efficiency philosophy.

Practical next step

1. Start The Lost Tribe as soon as possible; you'll need it for the bone crossbow.
2. Complete Shadow of the Storm, Death to the Dorgeshuun, and Horror from the Deep to jump to level 32 Ranged.
3. Buy a large stack of bone bolts from Nardok in Dorgesh-Kaan.
4. At level 30 Ranged, complete Animal Magnetism and equip Ava's attractor.
5. Head to Gemstone crabs (or your favourite low-defence crabs), set attack style to rapid, and AFK your way to 40.
6. Reassess at 40 — you may want to continue with the bone crossbow to 55, or switch to other weapons as your goals require.

For the exact XP rates and quest requirements, always verify on the official Old School RuneScape Wiki. The numbers quoted here come from the wiki's Pay-to-play Ranged training and Ironman Guide/Ranged pages.

Sources

• Pay-to-play Ranged training
• Ironman Guide/Ranged
• Barrows equipment