The Fastest Way to Make Cannonballs in OSRS: A Complete Guide

The Fastest Way to Make Cannonballs in OSRS: A Complete Guide


If you’re an Old School RuneScape (OSRS) player looking to maximize your efficiency in crafting cannonballs, you’ve landed in the right place. Cannonballs are essential for training Ranged and Slayer with the Dwarf Multicannon, but making them can feel painfully slow without the right approach. In this guide, we’ll dive into the fastest methods to smith cannonballs, optimize your setup, and even turn a profit while doing it. Whether you’re an Ironman or a main account, this step-by-step breakdown will help you churn out cannonballs at top speed in 2025.

Cannonballs are the lifeblood of the Dwarf Multicannon, a game-changer for leveling Ranged and Slayer quickly. However, their slow production rate—about 2.7 minutes per inventory without upgrades—makes smithing them a grind. Speeding up this process saves time, boosts XP rates, and, for some, generates decent gold. With the right tools and locations, you can double your output and cut down banking trips, making it a worthwhile skill to master.

Prerequisites for Smithing Cannonballs

Before you can start smithing, you need to meet a few requirements:

  • Level 35 Smithing: The minimum level to craft cannonballs from steel bars.
  • Dwarf Cannon Quest: Partially complete this quest to unlock the ammo mould.
  • Steel Bars: Each bar yields 4 cannonballs, so stock up!
  • Ammo Mould: Obtained during the Dwarf Cannon quest—keep it in your inventory or tool belt.

Optimizing Your Cannonball Production

Friendly reminder to new members You can make cannonballs with 35

To make cannonballs as fast as possible, you need to focus on two things: reducing banking time and increasing smithing speed. The base method involves using a steel bar on a furnace with an ammo mould, taking 6 seconds per bar (4 cannonballs). However, with upgrades and strategic location choices, you can slash that time significantly.

The Double Ammo Mould: A Game-Changer

Introduced with the Sleeping Giants quest, the double ammo mould is the single biggest upgrade for cannonball production. Available from the Giants’ Foundry reward shop for 2,000 Foundry Reputation, it lets you smith 8 cannonballs per cycle (using 2 steel bars) in the same 6-second timeframe as the regular mould. This effectively doubles your output and XP per hour, pushing you from 2,160–2,400 cannonballs to 4,320–4,800 per hour, depending on your furnace.

Best Furnaces for Speed

Location is everything when it comes to minimizing downtime. Here are the top furnaces for fast cannonball smithing:

Step-by-Step: Fastest Cannonball Smithing Method

Here’s the ultimate setup to smith cannonballs at peak efficiency:

Step 1: Unlock the Double Ammo Mould

Complete the Sleeping Giants quest and earn 2,000 Foundry Reputation by playing Giants’ Foundry. Purchase the double ammo mould from the reward shop. This is non-negotiable for maximum speed.

Step 2: Choose Port Phasmatys (Optimal)

If you’ve completed the medium Morytania Diary and have Morytania Legs 2, head to Port Phasmatys. The furnace here smelts cannonballs in half the time (3 seconds per cycle instead of 6) when wearing the legs. Pair this with the double ammo mould, and you’re producing 8 cannonballs every 3 seconds—insanely fast!

Step 3: Gear and Inventory Setup

Keep it simple:

  • Morytania Legs 2: For double speed at Port Phasmatys.
  • Double Ammo Mould: In your inventory or tool belt.
  • 27 Steel Bars: Fills your inventory for 13.5 cycles (108 cannonballs per trip with the regular mould, 216 with double).
  • GhostSpeak Amulet: Speeds up banking in Port Phasmatys (optional if Hard Morytania Diary is done).

Step 4: Smith and Bank Efficiently

Use the furnace, select “Make All” for cannonballs, and let it run. With the double mould and Port Phasmatys boost, a full inventory takes about 40 seconds to smith (versus 2.7 minutes normally). Bank at the nearby chest and repeat. You can hit 35–40 trips per hour this way.

Alternative Methods for Different Players

Not everyone has access to Port Phasmatys or the double mould yet. Here’s how to adapt based on your progress:

For Early-Game Players: Edgeville

If you’ve only done Dwarf Cannon and have the basic ammo mould, Edgeville is your best bet. It’s free, close to a bank, and requires no additional quests. You’ll make 2,160–2,400 cannonballs per hour, earning 13,824–15,360 Smithing XP and a modest profit.

For Ironmen: Smelting Your Own Bars

Ironmen can smelt steel bars from scratch (1 iron ore + 2 coal) at the furnace, then smith cannonballs without banking. With a coal bag (from Motherlode Mine), you can carry 17 steel bars’ worth of materials, yielding 68 cannonballs per trip. It’s slower but self-sufficient.

Using Portable Forges

If you have access to portable forges (via the Grand Exchange or clan events), place one near a bank and smith away. It’s not as fast as Port Phasmatys but beats most static furnaces for convenience.

Profit and XP Breakdown

Smithing cannonballs isn’t just about speed—it’s also a solid money-maker. Here’s a detailed look at the numbers as of April 2025 (prices fluctuate, so check the Grand Exchange):

XP Rates

Method Cannonballs/Hour Smithing XP/Hour
Edgeville (Regular Mould) 2,160–2,400 13,824–15,360
Edgeville (Double Mould) 4,320–4,800 27,648–30,720
Port Phasmatys (Double Mould + Legs 2) 4,800–5,600 30,720–35,840

Profit Potential

Assuming steel bars cost 715 GP each and cannonballs sell for 228 GP each (912 GP per bar):

  • Regular Mould: 197 GP profit per bar × 540–600 bars/hour = 106,380–118,200 GP/hour.
  • Double Mould: 197 GP profit per bar × 1,080–1,200 bars/hour = 212,760–236,400 GP/hour.

Port Phasmatys with the double mould maximizes both XP and profit, making it the gold standard for efficiency.

Tips to Maximize Efficiency

Here are some pro tips to squeeze every second out of your cannonball-making:

Camera Angles and Muscle Memory

Adjust your camera to click the furnace and bank chest without moving it. Over time, you’ll develop muscle memory for the exact tiles, shaving off seconds per trip.

Use “Make All” Shortcut

Left-click the red text above the steel bar in the smithing interface to instantly select “Make All” for cannonballs. It’s faster than right-clicking and saves precious time.

Stockpile Steel Bars

Buy or smelt steel bars in bulk ahead of time. The less you interrupt your smithing rhythm, the more you produce per hour.

Avoid Overcomplicating

Skip unnecessary gear like Varrock Armour (it doesn’t affect cannonball speed) or smelting urns (they don’t fill). Focus on the core setup for simplicity and speed.

By combining the double ammo mould, Port Phasmatys furnace, and a streamlined routine, you’ll be smithing cannonballs faster than ever. Whether you’re blasting through Slayer tasks or banking some extra GP, this method ensures you’re not wasting a single tick. Get out there, stock up your cannon, and dominate OSRS in 2025!