Free-to-play Ranged training

In f2p, Ranged can be a force to be reckoned within player - vs - player situations if one boasts a high level. If 1.5 multiplied by your ranged level is equal to or over than your attack level + strength level then your combat level is ranged based.

Weapons
In general, a free-to-play ranger should wield the best shortbow that they are capable of wielding, this goes for both training and pvp combat. The Maple shortbow is the best non-degrading shortbow available in free-to-play worlds. Iron arrows are recommended for training, unless the player's budget allows for more expensive options. In dangerous player-versus-player combat, the player should choose the best arrows they are capable of wielding. And for less dangerous player-versus-player combat, the arrows used are entirely up to the player.

'''Do note that the ammunition used (arrow) with a bow does not have any effect on your accuracy, only damage. Any statement made of such is false. '''(Refer to "Ranged Strength": http://www.runescape.com/kbase/viewarticle.ws?article_id=117)

Shortbows
The Shortbow (bow type) is the ideal ranged weapon for free players. With its extremely high rate of fire (faster than a Rune Scimitar if the Rapid attack style is used) and equivalent accuracy and damage per shot to a longbow of the same material, it's superior to longbows in almost all aspects especially during training. They are also the ranged weapon of choice within pvp situations as they can quickly wear down the opponents' lifepoints.

Longbows
A typical longbow have few advantages over the Shortbow.

Longbows are not recommended as a training option as maple shortbows have much better damage/second even compared to a maple longbow sighted. The most efficient way of training is that which provides the most experience, and experience is based on damage. Longbows have a slower firing rate and do not increase damage per shot.

For comparison purposes, the Maple longbow (sighted) fires every 3.0 seconds (weapon speed 5) on the accurate and long-range styles, and every 2.4 seconds (weapon speed 6) on the rapid attack style. The Maple Shortbow fires every 2.4 seconds (weapon speed 6) on the accurate and long-range styles, and every 1.8 seconds (weapon speed 7) on the rapid attack style. The sighted longbow has a ranged attack bonus of +110 and (+2 compared to other longbows) can fire at enemies 13 spaces away. The shortbow's ranged attack bonus +29 and can fire at enemies 7 spaces away.

Crossbows
Crossbows are also not recommended as a primary weapon under any circumstances within f2p worlds as they have very minimal ranged attack bonuses and the best amunition they can fire are bronze bolts whilst a maple bow can fire up to adamant. The problem is for F2P players they can only have a Phoenix crossbow or just a regular crossbow, compared to p2p players that can wield bronze, iron, steel, mithril, blurite, adamant, and runite crossbows and the ability to use more damaging bolts. However, the fact that they are the only f2p ranged weapon to be able to have wield a shield while ranging is useful, such as when players attempt to fight Elvarg the dragon during the dragon slayer quest.

Level 1 – 9 Ranged
Recommended set: a cowl, a pair of leather chaps, a pair of leather vambraces and a leather body

Players should get a a cowl, a pair of leather chaps, a pair of leather vambraces and a leather body, should they be able to acquire these items. These items have no skill requirements.

Lowe's Archery Emporium gives free samples. 30 bronze arrows, 1 wooden short and 1 wooden long bow.

Level 10 – 19 Defence
Recommended set: a cowl, a pair of leather chaps, a pair of leather vambraces and a hard leather body

Rangers should replace their leather body with a hard leather body (usually available cheaply from the Grand Exchange). Alternatively, rangers can craft cowhides into a hard leather body when their Crafting level is 28 or higher.

Level 20-39 Defence and Ranged
Recommended set: a coif, a leather vambraces, a studded hard leather body, and a pair of studded chaps.

Rangers are recommended to buy a coif, a studded hard leather body, and a pair of studded chaps off the grand exchange or Lowes Archery in Varrock.

Level 40+ Defence and Ranged
Recommended Set: a coif, green dragonhide chaps, and green dragonhide vambraces, green dragonhide body 

Players can now use green dragonhide chaps and green dragonhide vambraces, both of which can be bought from the Champions' Guild and require a defence level of 1. The green dragonhide body can only be worn after achieving a defence and Ranged level of 40 and after finishing the quest Dragon Slayer. With the Fist of Guthix update, a new ranging item has been introduced - the Green d'hide coif. It is only slightly better than a normal coif in stats, giving only 2 more ranged attack bonus (+4 instead of +2). However it is not recommended for training as the bonus is very insignificant over a regular coif and the time spent recharging it would be better used for training ranged with a regular coif.

Amulets
Amulets are very useful for ranged training and pvp situations alike as they can improve your ranged accuracy allowing you to hit with ranged more often.

Amulet of Defence
The Amulet of Defence is not recommended for use in range training as it provides 0 ranged attack bonus and has only minimal defensive boosts over the amulet of power (+1 in each).

Amulet of Accuracy
The Amulet of Accuracy is acquired after completing the Imp Catcher quest and provides a fair ranged attack boost. However, the bonuses provided in this amulet are obsolete in comparison to an Amulet of Power.

Amulet of Power
The Amulet of Power is the amulet of choice for all situations. It provides the best ranged attack bonus and good defensive bonuses as well.

Bronze Bolts
Bronze bolts are not recommended for use under any cirumstances as they have minimal ranged strength and can only be fired by a crossbow (which have very low ranged attack bonus in f2p).

Training arrows
Training arrows can only be obtained from Beefy Bill at the cow pen north of lumbridge. They are the equivalent of bronze arrows but are not recommended for use as they are untradeable and only 30 arrows can be aquired at a time.

Bronze arrows
Bronze arrows were once the arrows of choice for training as they were cheap and could easily be bought on the grand exchange. However, after the introduction of the personalized shop update the supply of bronze arrows have been diminished and they're now very difficult to buy on the grand exchange.

Iron arrows
Iron arrows are the arrows of choice for training as they're easily bought on the grand exchange and are fairly cheap. They're also a fairly common drop from minotaurs within the stronghold of security, one can buy 500-1000 iron arrows and stay there for hours on end as their supply of arrows will never run out.

Steel arrows
Steel arrows are not recommended for training as they only hit a little higher than iron arrows whilst costing more than twice the price. They are dropped by zombies within the second level of the stronghold of security.

Mithril arrows
Mithril arrows are great for training if one is fighting higher leveled monsters such as demons or ankous as they hit nearly as high as adamant arrows but at a fraction of the price. They can also be used in pvp worlds if one is poor. They are dropped by ankous within the fourth level of the stronghold of security, ice giants at the asgarnian ice caves and wilderness, and black and white knights at their respective castles/fortresses.

Adamant arrows
These are the most expensive and powerful arrows in free-to-play and are used almost exclusively in PvP combat. They are never recommended for training due to their high cost. They are dropped by ankous within the fourth level of the stronghold of security and ice giants at the asgarnian ice caves.

Accurate
The Accurate attack style increases your Ranged level by 3 levels. For instance, if one's Ranged level is 60 and they attack a target while using the Accurate style, it will be as though they are attacking with a Ranged level of 63. This means greater accuracy when attacking with ranged as well as a potentially higher maximum hit. It is not recommended to train or pvp with the accurate style as it has lower damage per second than the rapid style.

Rapid
The Rapid style increases the speed of a bow by one unit and is the attack style of choice within nearly all situations as it boasts the fastest damage per second.

Longrange
The Longrange style allows a player to attack with Ranged at a greater distance than they normally would with the other two attack styles. Training with Longrange is not recommended as xp is split between ranged and defence (with ranged being trained much faster on rapid and defence being trained much faster with melee combat). It can be used from time to time in some competitive activities where need fit, like Fist of Guthix or Clan Wars.

Minotaur (combat level 12, 27)
Minotaurs are the ideal monsters to train on from 1-40 ranged as one can bring 500 iron arrows and stay indefinetely as they constantly drop iron arrows. Level 40 ranged should take approximately 5 hours here, killing the level 12 minotaurs from 1-25 ranged and the level 27 minotaurs from 25-40. Also remember to switch to better ranged equipment as you level to speed up the training process. Minotaurs are found on the first level on the stronghold of security and their are multiple safespots at both the level 12 and level 27 minotaurs.

Flesh crawler (combat 28, 35, 41)
Flesh crawlers are an ideal monster to kill as they are agressive, afkable, have low defence and boast great xp/hour. They are found in the second level of the stronghold of security. One can bring a full inventory of trout and range them with iron arrows, a maple shortbow, power amulet, teamcape, leatherboots and the best melee armor that you can wear (with chainbody). Otherwise those with low defence can safespot the flesh crawlers at the corners of the room.

Moss giants (combat 42)
Moss giants on crandor have great drops and boast even greater xp/hour than flesh crawlers (though they require good attention as there aren't very much of them and they become unagressive if your combat level is over 83.) There are multiple safespots though even 1 person can distrupt your xp/hour so it's recommended to kill these on quick-chat, foreign, or certain activity based worlds. Getting 40-70 ranged on these and burying the big bones will give nearly enough prayer xp for the eagle eye prayer which increases your ranged by 15%. Iron arrows are recommended when ranging moss giants.

Flesh crawler (combat 28, 35, 41)
One can continue ranging flesh crawlers if your defence is low (below 70). Iron arrows are recommended when ranging flesh crawlers.

Giant Spiders (combat level 50)
These boast similar xp per hour to fleshcrawlers but only recommended if you have 70+ defence as they're max hit is 60 lifepoints greater than that of a flesh crawlers. They're aggresive, afkable, and have twice the lifepoints of a flesh crawler meaning you don't have to switch between as many monsters when training. Giant spiders are found on the third level of the stronghold of security. Iron arrows are recommended when ranging giant spiders.

Ankous (combat levels 75, 82, 86)
Ankous are found on the fourth level of the stronghold of security. They have high lifepoints (up to 700) and have fairly good drops. They can be safespotted and are a more profitable of training range in comparison to flesh crawlers and giant spiders who both have little to zero drops. Mithril arrows are recommended when ranging ankous.