Steel bolts

“Steel crossbow bolts.”

MembersTradeable (not for Ironmen)High alch 4 gp

Sources from the OSRS Wiki's drop, shop and recipe data (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0), checked 2026-10-09; the verdict and ordering are ours, built from that data. Item sprite © Jagex.

Ironman verdict

Steel bolts is a members item. Other players trade it, but an Ironman cannot use the Grand Exchange or trade, so you get your own. We list 2 monsters and 3 recipes for it.

You can make it yourself with 46 Fletching from 10 × Steel bolts (unf) and 10 × Feather. Each one made gives 35 Fletching XP. That is the lowest-level of its 3 recipes. If you would rather kill for it, the lowest-level monster that drops it is Zombie pirate (Harmony Island) (level 57), at 3/128, about one in 43 kills. That monster also has the best drop rate we list.

Materials you can buy or make: Steel bolts (unf) (10 needed), made with 33 Smithing; Feather (10 needed), sold at Gerrant's Fishy Business for 2 coins.

It is worn in the ammunition slot; its biggest bonus is +64 ranged strength.

It is a material in 4 recipes, for example Steel bolts (p), Steel bolts (p+) and Steel bolts (p++). High Alchemy (55 Magic) turns one into 4 coins. Each cast uses a nature rune, 180 coins from a rune shop, and five fire runes that a fire staff replaces, so an alch loses about 176 coins; only alch it to clear space.

Where to get it, easiest first

1.Make from10 × Steel bolts (unf) and 10 × Feather · needs 46 Fletching
2.Make from10 × Steel bolts (unf) and 10 × Yellow feather · needs 46 Fletching
3.Make from10 × Steel bolts (unf) and 10 × Orange feather · needs 46 Fletching
4.KillZombie pirate (Harmony Island) · level 57, drops 2–12 at 3/128 (about one in 43 kills)
5.KillSorebones · level 57, drops 2–12 at 3/128 (about one in 43 kills)

Our order: buying first, then making it (lowest skill level first), then killing for it (lowest-level monster first), then other sources. Up to three of each; the full lists are below.