I've decided to purchase a jig so I don't ruin my uber expensive ASA 95% lower. My research consisted of googling "AR Lower Jig" and compiling the data on all the hits from the first page:

80% Arms
$119.99 + Free Shipping
1 week to ship
5 pieces
+ Anodized
+ Mill adapter has drill holes for using drill press
+ Great PDF Guide
? Jig locates off takedown/pivot pin holes
- Jig sides made of thinner aluminum
- Anodizing takes an extra week
http://www.80percentarms.com/products/80-ar-15-jig

Tactical Machining
$125.00 + Shipping
In Stock
6 pieces
+ Anodized
+ Drill Bushings for trigger, hammer, and selector holes
+ Screws and pins are counter bored and flushed
? Jig locates off takedown/pivot pin holes
- No drill holes for using drill press
http://www.tacticalmachining.com/80-products/80-jigs/80-ar-15-jig.html

CNC Gunsmithing *
$99.95 (Drill Jig) + $124.95 (Mill Adapter) + $49.95 (Trigger Slot Adapter) + $10.00 (Flat Rate USPS)
In Stock
Sold a’la carte, however full setup is 4 pieces
+ Very thick, heavy duty construction
+ Anodized
+ Mill adapter has drill holes for using drill press
+ Works on AR-15 and AR-10 lowers
? Jig locates off of top & rear faces, not the take-down pins
- Jig mounting bolts not counter bored
- Jig sides do not completely cover mag well / trigger
- Mail in payment only, no online payment options.
http://www.cncguns.com/tooling.html
* This is who is recommended by American Spirit Arms on their page.

TR Enabling
$74.00 + Shipping
In Stock
3 Pieces
+ Screws and pins are counter bored and flushed
? Jig locates off takedown/pivot pin holes
- No drill holes for using drill press
http://shop.lower80.com/AR-15-Milling-Jig-00001JIG.htm

Desert Warrior Products / Juggernaut Tactical
$159.95 + Shipping
In Stock
5 Pieces
+ Anodized
+ Very thick, heavy duty construction
+ Mill adapter has drill holes for using drill press
+ Great How-to Video
+ Screws and pins are counter bored and flushed
? Jig locates off takedown/pivot pin holes
NOTE: They have two kits, one for their lower, and one mil-spec, be sure to order the correct one
http://www.desertwarriorproducts.com/Juggernaut_Lowers.html

Colfax Tactical
$99.99 + Shipping
No stock status listed
3 Pieces
+ Side pins flushed
? Jig locates off takedown/pivot pin holes
- Top mounting bolts not counter bored
- Do not see jig for trigger hole
https://colfaxtactical.com/products.html


I wouldn't buy any jig that didn't locate off the pivot pin, as thats the callout that's referenced for all other dimensions in every AR-15 print I've seen.

Also I would never buy anything that didn't flush/counter bore the hardware. How are you going to lay down the jig to drill holes with a bolt sticking out?

Anodizing isn't a deal breaker, but it does reduce wear and keeps the aluminum from galling.

To me the choice is clear, the few extra bucks for the Tactical Machining is worth it, as it's the only one with drill bushings. Unless you're going to toss the jig after your first lower you're going to start wallowing out the hole on any jig that doesn't have hardened steel drill bushings.


Sadly this project is on hold, as I just found out that my last two paychecks that I should have gotten on the 20th are not going to arrive until after the 7th. So I'm eating ramen and catching the bus until then unless a vendor wants to send me a sample in return for a review as part of the big comparison I'm putting together. I promise there will be TONS of pictures and video, as I'm producing this as a spec sample for my website. I'm branching out on my own after working 10+ years for others in marketing & the motion picture industry.

The cnc gun is for milling from forgings, If you went with that you could slide two 1/4" bolts thru the holes to locate the 80. I have had a tm on order from a 3rd party since dec hopefully it will be here soon. May have a hard time getting a tm jig anytime soon.

Nice list. Thank you. I got my jig today from 80% arms. However no drill bushings they are heavier made than I had thought myself. Good quality and fit dead on with hlf 80 lower. I'll post a pic shortly.

Of all the jigs out there that I have seen, TM has the best made/designed jigs on the market currently...It makes no sense to me (from a Engineers standpoint ) in having a jig of this type with the critical
hole locations for the safety/hammer/trigger pin holes and not have hardened drill bushings press fit Into the jig, unless you only want to drill two maybe three lowers, tops...JMHO.

I don't think you need to be an engineer to understand that a drill bit made of tool steel or carbide is going to start wearing out the holes you're using to locate on your aluminum jig, especially if you're using a drill press without an X-Y table.

I got the OK from headquarters to put the TM Jig on the credit card so the project can continue forward.

The TM jigs are in stock now

Chuck your drill bits upside down to locate the holes, and once located with no friction going into the hole, flip them back around to verify they are still good, then drill away.  That should help make the soft aluminum last longer.

I have a TM jig i purchased from a third party (Ares Armor, and it took 6 months to receive) and it has worked out flawlessly. Like others have said, the hardened drill bushings are worth the extra cost. I completed 8 lowers on my mill, and the drill bushings have maintained their original dimensions. I milled .030" off of the one side of the top plate, so that it would lay flat on it's side while clamped in a vise to drill the side holes.

Oh, and having a mill to do your machining, HUGE advantage. If you can get time on a mill, from maybe a machinist friend or something, do it.

Correct, that's about the only trick that is practical and works to help prevent hole distortion etc.

this is a new start up trying to raise money. could be a cheap way to go. I dont know how to make a link but you can copy and paste this
http://www.rockethub.com/projects/27484-ar15-upper-receivers-80-lower-jigs-by-northwest-precision

Thanks for the link, this is another way to go, I am still researching.

While I agree with every one's comments about 80% jigs and hardened bushings, here is another approach.

http://polymer80.com/

They are 3d printing both 80% lowers and jigs.  For a one use approach, this might work.  

Or maybe not, but I have spent that much $$$ trying to have a good time on a Saturday night in a small town, so it is at least worthy of consideration.

I am looking into drill bushings that one could install on their already owned bushingless jigs.  If someone has the hole sizes handy, it would make the search easier...

I have a few colifax lowers and jigs. I used centering punches on the holes took the jig off and drilled . Seemed to work well. I am trying to get the gcode written to mill out the trigger pocket. on the cnc mill. I am using Mach 3 software.

I went the way of using a Tm jig with my CNC benchtop Taig Mill......
For a more details see this post....
CNC Milling

http://www.carrlane.com
http://www.drill-bushings.com
http://store.acmeindustrial.com  Good quote interface

Correct me if I am wrong, but it looks like you need 2 #23 drill bushing (H/T), and a U drill bushing (safety).  It looks like it would be easy enough to upgrade your non bushed jig.  

Non bushed jig, that just sounds funny...

Jig is sitting at home waiting for me. Shipped in less then a week. Will do update with pictures when i get home on the 28th.

warned

Sam, is Keith Matthews paying you a commission? You've only had 7 posts since joining, and 6 of them are about Matthews. Or are you a shill/non-paying dealer. Maybe you aren't happy that no one has invested in your Rockethub project? Let's see what a Mod has to say about it, shall we?
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_4/603477_THE_IN_STOCK_LOWER_RECEIVER_THREAD_Part_2.html&page=297#i6075152


http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_4/615087_80__Lower_Jigs.html&page=1#i6075155


http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_4/615631_billet_lower__why_.html&page=1#i6074347


http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_127/611664_A2_build_using_80__complete_lower_receiver.html&page=1#i6075154


https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_12/611082_Rockethub_80__Lower_Receiver_Projects___Update_06_21_2013__.html&page=4#i6073212

https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_4/615469_80__ar_15_jig.html&page=1#i6074346
 
 

Received my TM Jig in about 5 days, impressed with the quality so far.

Here's another 80% kit to add to the list.  I ended up buying t his one because it was the only one I could find in stock.  I bought the 308 version.

Elemental Arms
$110 + shipping for the jig
Shipped same or next day
5 pieces
Anodized
Mill adapter has drill holes for using drill press
Good instructions
Jig locates off takedown/pivot pin holes
http://www.elementalarms.com
Unlike many of the others on this list, this kit does not use screws to hold the jig sides together...this must be done with a vise.  Two precision pins locate the sides properly on the receiver through the pivot/takedown holes.  Everything is extremely well made and fits together like a glove.  I would personally like to see some screws to hole the sides in place, particularly for drilling the FCG holes.  Without these, there could be a few thousandths shift when the unit is flipped to do both sides.
I don't have anything to compare to, but the lower receiver billet is a nice piece of precision work.  I  trial fit the few parts that I could from a DPMS lower parts kit. and the fit was very precise in all cases.
A friend and I are going to finish this out in the next few weeks, and I will report back.  I'll try to get in a few photos of the process.  We're going to do it in his machine shop, so we'll be using a milling machine rather than a drill press.

This only applies to the AR10 version. The AR15 version includes (2) cap head screws in addition to the pivot/takedown hole pins. You can see the holes in the AR15 picture. One is located about 3" below the takedown pin hole, and the second is located about 1" below the pivot pin hole.
I have one of the AR15 versions that I bought a few weeks ago. It was shipped quickly. He made an error and included 2 right side plates instead of 1 right/1 left. He immediately shipped out the replacement side plate and included a pre-paid return mail label for returning the duplicate right side plate. No complaints about the product or the service, although I haven't used it yet.







I have an old Tannery Shop cast lower that I'll use it on. The seems to fit, but I'll have to drill the pivot/takedown holes in the lower before I can tell for sure. (The Tannery Shop lowers required more/different work than current 80% lowers. Although the fire control pocket did not require milling, the takedown/pivot pin holes, FCG holes and buffer tube tower all required drilling and reaming, as well as taping the buffer tube thread).





 

 

I found another 80% jig with bushings to add to your list.
KE Arms Jig

Done a dozen 80%'s, never had a jig until the other day when a friend brought one over to do his lower on my mill.

The only thing I might prefer the jig for would be the pin holes, as scribing the perimeter of the trigger pocket is easier in my opinion.

As for the pins, I normally just do math, use calipers and count turns.

Wish I would have know about the KE Arms jigs before I made my purchase. I always try to support local companies.

Does the KE Arms jig locate off the takedown/pivot pin holes and are the screws and pins counter bored and flushed like the TM jig?

Thanks.

The Tactical machining and KE arms
Drill Bushings for trigger, hammer, and selector holes are only on one side of the jig
so flipping the jig to the other side to drill wont work so good as they made the other holes way oversize
for clearance and not the correct size to use as a guide.
Drilling from one side only all the way through even with a bushing could give you
a hole on the other side in the wrong place if not careful.
A jig that you can drill the holes on one side then flip the jig and drill the other side
would be a better choice.

I noticed this after I got it. I would imagine that you need to drill these holes prior to doing the mill work so the bit doesn't walk.

A decent video on how to with a drill press here