I have never completed an 80% lower. I have a drill press and a full size router. I just purchased some lowers from Right to Bear Arms. This is going to be a grandpa / grandsons project with grandpa footing the bill. We will need a jig that will last through 4 builds, is inexpensive but works. Finish time is not important as this is bonding / learning basic skills time. The New Frontier has an attractive price. I would appreciate input from anyone that has used it or another similarly priced drill jig. I would prefer not to have to but a router I will only use a few times. As always thanks for appropriate responses & if I posted this incorrectly, OOPS, tell me where to move it.

I'm aware purchasing finished lowers would be cheaper, It would defeat the mission.

Looking at it, I don't see any reason it wouldn't work, just go easy with it, make sure you have a way to secure it down while working on a lower, such as a good vise and make sure you purchase the correct type of bits to work with your router and that your router will hold those bits very securely.

The New Frontier Armory jig appears to be a drill press only jig as it does not have the top plates for supporting the router.

There are at least three router based jigs out there now- 80% Arms, Modulus Arms,  and 5D Tactical. 

A few disadvantages of the drill press jigs: drill spindle not designed for side-loading so spindle can come loose and fall out.
Lower speeds equal less efficient cutting. Of the finished lowers I've seen, the router based ones almost always turn out better (more precise, less chatter)

I've seen some people buy the jig, cut their lowers and then sell the jig. Re-sale value should be pretty good if you buy a good jig and don't tear it up.

My two cents.

Yea that's not a router jig. I wouldn't use a drill press jig. Also I wouldn't recommend using a full sized router on a router jig.

I just finished a bunch of lowers using the 5D Tactical router jig...it worked GREAT.    The lower comes out looking like it was CNC'd, vs. a drill jig which is going to make the inside of your lower look like Frankenstein took a bite out of it.   I think anyone would be way happier with the end result using a router jig.

I sold the jig here on ARF in the EE when I was done.

I still have the nearly new router (the porter cable model recommended by 5D Tactical for the jig) here, and was getting ready to list it in the EE as well.

My point is -- router jig is mucho better -- and you can probably pick up a used router here, ebay, craigslist, or somewhere else at a decent discount over new.

(You'll still use the drill press for doing the guide holes for the router's end mill, plus the trigger pin holes and the safety selector holes.)

Well thanks for the input. No good dead ever goes unpunished, with grandkids it always hurts the wallet. But since they all want a AR, I will start watching EE Sales!

I too have done a few 80's. I've used the 80% Arms and the 5D. I can't say that I have a favorite between the two. Either will get the job done and I'd be comfortable recommending either one to even the most novice of users. Just watch some YouTube videos of people doing it and take your time.

You could always poke around in the tool loan thread and see if someone will loan you their jig for your project, then you would only have the cost of the router ($80-$100) which im sure you could easily sell off afterwards if you don't want it. The issue arises when you get done with the first lower and you turn around and immediately order 6 more 80% lowers from RTB.  I have the Modulus jig and Dewalt palm router. They both are great products and turn out fantastic looking fire control pockets. My best tip to you is when you go to drill your selector hole and pin holes mount the jig sideways in a vice and use a small level to level it out before you drill. Doing that will give you nice strait and snug holes for the lower parts.

Lending jigs out has become somewhat sticky, due to the recent BATF determinations.

I would use the 5d Tactical Jig or Modulus Jig, whatever is cheaper.