Cannonball

Cannonballs are ammunition used for the Dwarf multicannon and can also be fired using the Barker toad familiar.

In order to create cannonballs, players must be members, have completed the Dwarf Cannon quest, possess an ammo mould in their inventory, and have one or more steel bars. Players must also have level 35 Smithing to make cannonballs. Cannonballs are made by using a steel bar on a furnace, yielding 4 cannonballs per bar. Players gain 25 Smithing experience per bar according to the manual, though it is actually 25.6 per bar.

Because cannonballs are made at a furnace, players can smelt iron ore and coal to make steel bars and then use the steel bars to make cannonballs without returning to a bank. Using this method, a maximum of 36 cannonballs can be made from the contents of a single inventory containing 9 iron ores, 18 lumps of coal, and an ammo mould. You could also just have the steel bars prepared and bring a full load of 27 with an ammo mould to make 108 cannonballs. It takes exactly 6 seconds to convert one steel bar into four cannonballs. Making a cannonball uses the same or a similar animation to when a player buries bones

Once shot, the cannonball will inflict its damage and disappear completely. Its maximum hit is 300.

Making cannonballs

 * See the Cannonball smithing calculator for latest profit calculations using a Grand Exchange Market Watch price.

Making cannonballs is a popular method for players to train Smithing for "free". Many players advertising free Smithing experience on the official RuneScape Forums use cannonballs as the method to gain experience. In addition strange rocks are possible to get while smithing cannonballs.

Smelting cannonballs is very slow - a full load (27 bars) takes 2 minutes and 42 seconds to complete or about 2 times slower than making iron bars. Yet, doing this for money can be very useful but, it is not recommended to use for XP. Compared to smelting iron ore with a Ring of forging and then forging the results, for instance, it will deliver less experience overall for the same time spent. However, it is financially rewarding, even when players purchase the materials (either the iron and coal, or pre-made steel bars). They are able to, at a minimum, break even when they sell the cannonballs. For every steel bar made into cannonballs, players usually gain about 325 coins/bar plus 25.6 Smithing experience.

Note: Although this is true, players skilled at money-making may find that it is more efficient to use a quicker method to train Smithing (i.e. making arrowtips or bolts, which requires less money than making armour) than to use the time saved to make up for the money lost.

If using a pack familiar you can use BoB and not stop smithing.

It saves time if you are at a furnace that is near a bank. The Port Phasmatys furnace is an ideal location. It is recommended to wear an Amulet of Ghostspeak, and to have completed the quest Ghosts Ahoy for faster smelting. if you cant get there, a good place to do this is in Al Kharid.

Another fast method is using Edgeville's furnace which is just a few steps from the Edgeville bank. Players can rotate their screen when running to and from the furnace for faster banking and smelting. A full load of ores can be made into bars then banked in 90 seconds or less.

Also there is a furnace close to the bank of Neitiznot (at least started The Fremennik Isles ). It has a similar banking time as Port Phasymatys.

Trivia

 * In the Quick Chat interface, there are options to smith cannonballs using all types of smithed metals, including mithril cannonballs and rune cannonballs. Currently, only steel and gold bars can be made into cannonballs.


 * Dondakan from the Between a Rock... quest has Rune, Adamant and Mithril Cannonballs, but they cannot be obtained, however, a gold cannonball is made during the quest.


 * Even though steel bars are much smaller than cannonballs, it is still possible to make 4 cannonballs out of 1.
 * Although one would assume that a cannonball would be quite heavy, they are actually weightless in-game.