question For those who may have Experience with both iterations of the Perst 4.  Is the green visible laser model worth the $60-70 over the red visible model?

It looks like the ir lasers on both models are 20mw while the red vis is 5mw & green vis is 18mw. The only thing I would use the vis for would be to slave the laser to my eotech. Thanks!

Green lasers tend to be more visible than red.

Is there any hold up in shipping from Russia currently? Since you guys aren't posting your Persts in the EE.

The one I ordered two weeks ago seems to be trucking along just fine. I have a feeling I'll receive it next week.

for me, yes. The green is more visible in daylight and I really only use it to zero/check zero with the IR...

IMO, yes, but I never tried their Red. I even went with the Green Std, at, I think, 12mW - and I had that thing out at 1PM, under a clear, sunny sky two days ago and could pick up the Green dot ~75yds away on tree trunks. The 18mW must be insane. I went 12mW to save some money (another $70 IIRC) as I figured 12mW would be enough - which I'll probably never need anyway.

That's good.

Ivan shows 1 in stock of the red 3 but says 0 in stock when added to the cart though.

Context: This is my first laser to own and I don't have a ton of time with it. Have played with a few others.

I'm happy with it and I'd buy it again. I'd like to add a full power version of the 9007 i2, but for my first laser, I think the Perst is great. If you have the money to buy a MAWL, I think that's a better option but other than that I don't think I'd have chosen anything else.

Yea that’s what I’m thinking. May be hard to see the red laser against the red eotech reticle at 75-100 yards.. shouldn’t have sold the last perst 4+ I had

I'd buy at least one more. The civy dbal is a huge disappointment compared pared to a perst. Even though the perst is full power when turned down mine has a smaller cleaner dot than my dbal.

It's probably largely the clean bright perst illuminator.

It is for me. The Perst 4 green is so bright I can zero it in broad daylight under most conditions in Texas

Just be super careful with it. It's a full power laser and way more dangerous than US regulated stuff

Can the IR laser on the Perst-4 be dialed down to around the equipment of a class 1 IR laser? All of the reviews that I’m seeing all show it in full light saber mode, but I’m worried that the IR laser might actually be TOO bright even on the lowest setting for certain applications. Does someone have both to compare?

There are 5 levels of brightness.  All of the levels are super bright through NODS without an illuminator to tame down the dot.
I don't have a class 1 to compare against, though.

I’ve been waiting over a month for mine...
Ordered off eBay on the March 27th.  After bouncing around Moscow for four weeks, tracking showed it in New York April 25th... but just today (April 29th) it shows that it went back Russia.

Anyone experienced this?!?

I ordered from Black Phase Tactical on April 9, got it April 26.  I liked working with an American dealer, simply because he is here, and he gives an all-up price.  Nothing against the other guys, but they are not quoting you the total cost, including taxes and shipping- until you order.  BPT is dealing with the customs and shipping and then shipping to you.  I think that's value-add- YMMV.

The Perst-3 is amazing.  Compared to the ATPIAL I was rocking, well, there is no comparison.  Testing it out in the back yard, the IR laser is very close to a civvy laser, on lowest setting.  At say 25 to 100m it looks very similar to my old ATPIAL, or even my old OTAL.  So you can dial in down to roughly the same intensity.  That being said, this thing is truly a light saber like all these guys have been saying.  I would recommend getting some laser safe safety glasses for use with it.  Yeah.

The IR illum is something else.  As cool as the laser is, this is what really sets this unit apart.  PID at 100m with a -14, no worries mate.  But now I'm gonna have to get a clip on to see what this baby can really do.  Damn Rooshins!

Some bits and bobs.  It sits down nice and low on the rail, just out of view with an EOTech EXPS3-0.  I have a SF M640 on there with it, which can be adjusted to fit, but also tried a legacy Scout with an Arisaka Offset Scout mount and it tucks under the right side perfectly, just like the ATPIAL.  For the Scout tape switch, the Cloud Defense LCS M-Lok nestles under the Perst, on the left side at "10:30".  This is with a Midwest Industries Combat rail.  So my thinking is, at least with the MI rail, if your stuff fits with an ATPIAL, it will probably fit with the Perst.

It comes with a Panasonic 123 batt installed (again be careful; treat it like a loaded gun; don't look down the "muzzle").  To get a SF 123 in there, I had to remove the extra battery pad on top cover.  The batt from factory is slightly smaller and needs extra padding I suppose,  But at least they know a SF batt won't fit and made the extra pad removable.  Just a piece of rubber with adhesive, no issues.  And nice touch.  Got the enlarged thumbscrews too, which work just fine.    

To zero it, I just picked out a long distance "infinity" object, and moved laser to red (er green) dot.  Nice screw adjustment here.  And yes I removed cap wire, which is just this side of a RCS, before it broke.  

After reading all the stories here I was concerned about adjusting the illum to the laser.  But with the new longer wrench, it was pretty easy.  It feels klunky at first, so take it easy and don't force the screws; just apply (increasing) pressure until it moves, if that makes sense.

On a 9.5" rail you ain't got much room, so I left the switch off for now.  But damn that thing is a beauty.  I am using the back button, which works just fine.  I actually like it better than either the ATPIAL on-board button, or the SF dual switch I was using it with.  Or the OTAL with TAPS switch I was also using before that.  It has good physical movement, which lets you know you're doing something (unlike some others that are just pressure activated, with no physical feed-back).  I gotta say, I like the one push for constant on, and then one push off.  Bottom line it's a shame to leave the switch off, but it works just fine without it.

Overall, initial impressions are very good.  It is very functional, but not very, uh esthetically pleasing.  In other words, very Russian.  In the same spirit as the rifle it was made for.  Would I buy another?  Absolutely.    

If I was HMFIC of Zenitco.  The first thing I'd do is put a button right behind the illum, in the little 45 deg cut out there.  It's a natural spot for thumb activation, nyet?  The next two are basically tied, but first I'd put normal adjustment screws on the illum.  Sorry Comrade but that adjustment system is classic Russian Kludge.  Then put a std batt cap up front between illum and lasers.  That, gentlemen would make this little unit govno-hot!  Also minor nit but would like to see slightly more robust screw mount (up at least one size).

Pics to follow.

Hi folks, I didn't order a Perset 3 (yet), but have ordered Zenitco handguards from Ivan Tactical. Service from them was very fast, but holy hell, the Russian post office was slow. I finally got notified last night that the package has been scanned leaving Russia, over a month after it allegedly cleared Russian customs.

Is it normal to be that slow, or am I just really unlucky? I ask because I do plan on buying a Zenitco laser for this "alpha" ak project eventually.

Great review Diz. I am probably going to grab one up soon. I emailed Zentico on eBay and asked if they would sell the Perst without the switch and was quoted -$30 USD. So that might be something BPT or Ivan would do as well if you inquire. I would like to keep the bulk down on my rifle and was hoping the rear switch would be robust with feedback. I posted this question earlier in the thread and other guys have said the same thing.

Well to be honest, I wanted that switch because I plan on putting this on a 14.5" LPVO rifle as well and see what we can see.  So I will have a bit more room for the switch.  But yeah a menu would be nice so you could pick one of the newer, smaller units, or maybe even the double, if so inclined.

Ideally, a stocking dealer on this side would help a lot with these shipping and customs issues.  But these days they never make it to stock, so you just gotta catch BPT with a new shipment coming in (which he has rolling now) to knock this down a bit.  I think I ordered about mid-way his shipment process so I go lucky.  If you ordered within the next week or so from him, I'm betting you'd have a similar experience to me.

But I will put the switch on and goof with it a little as well.

Waiting (not so) patiently for the pictures, as I’m looking to almost exactly duplicate this.

Here's a few pics.



Overall shot showing size on rail.



Compared to ATPIAL



Business end.  Note how low illum and lasers sit.  Not bad.  Also note white light tucks in nicely.

A couple more shots.



Here's the SF M640 Scout, with M-Lok pivot mount.  Set up with a toothpick between light and Perst housing (about .050").  



Here's the Cloud Defense unit with M-Lok mount and SF tape switch.

 

And a shot from the office-end showing switchology.  Notice notch created by illum and perfect spot for button.  Or at least move + and - buttons to back and put button on side in their place.  And maybe other button on top moved to other side for lefties?

In case you're wondering, that's Duracoat "Magpul FDE" on there now.  The finish is typical AK-chic, which is functional, but I prefer to camo everything down.  YMMV.

Took some more pics, might be a little clearer.

I got Botached good and hard on that LS321g.  Order sat untouched for almost a month, and then it was unceremoniously cancelled.  So jokes on me.

Thinking that I should grab a -4 from Black Phase.  Just have to figure out how to get illumination on there... and white light.

Well hey you might come out of that one OK now.  I don't know what the BPT status is on -4's vs -3's but would hope they are inbound as well.

This thing is sure growing on me.  After taking pics it's pretty much the same footprint as my old ATPIAL.  But with a little bit more, uh, umpf.

For anyone who ordered on eBay here’s a look at my current tracking info: I ordered March 29,2020. Klesch 2

Package status: In transit
Country: Russian Federation -> United States
Destination:
2020-04-29 07:09, RUSSIAN FEDERATION, MOSKVA PCI-21, Processed Through Facility -> Your item has been processed through a facility in MOSKVA PCI-21, RUSSIAN FEDERATION at 7:09 am on April 29, 2020.
2020-04-02 15:50, Origin Post is Preparing Shipment
2020-04-02 15:50, RUSSIAN FEDERATION, MOSKVA PCI-21, Processed Through Facility
2020-03-31 17:02, RUSSIAN FEDERATION, Acceptance
Origin:
2020-04-29 07:09, Russian Federation, MR LC Vnukovo Cex-2 MMPO 102972, Export of international mail
2020-04-29 00:03, Russian Federation, Sheremet`evo MMPO 104980, Processing, Arrival at inward office of exchange
2020-04-28 17:41, Russian Federation, MR LC Vnukovo 102975, Processing, Departure from inward office of exchange
2020-04-02 16:53, Russian Federation, MR LC Vnukovo Cex-2 MMPO 102972, Customs clearance, Released by custom house
2020-04-02 16:52, Russian Federation, MR LC Vnukovo Cex-2 MMPO 102972, Handed over to customs
2020-04-02 15:50, Russian Federation, MR LC Vnukovo Cex-2 MMPO 102972, Processing, Arrival at transit office of exchange
2020-04-02 10:18, Russian Federation, MR LC Vnukovo 102975, Processing, Arrival at inward office of exchange
2020-04-01 02:05, Russian Federation, LC Vnukovo-2 108960, Processing, Departure from inward office of exchange
2020-04-01 01:16, Russian Federation, LC Vnukovo-2 108960, Processing, Arrival at inward office of exchange
2020-03-31 23:04, Russian Federation, Moskva 101000, Processing, Departed from origin facility
2020-03-31 17:02, Russian Federation, Moskva 101000, Acceptance, Single
======================================
Powered by www.17track.net

As you can see they bounce all over before hitting the point where they hit the states usually once stateside they are here within the week has been my experience.

I would use 17Track.net to follow it, it also might show why the posters unit above was sent back ?

Also there’s a app for 17track very useful for tracking anything. You can even add labels for tracker #s to keep track of your orders.

If anyone orders one off eBay with the new shipping price @37 I would love to see how quick the order arrives. I’m wondering if the increase in shipping cost will mean faster shipping or if this is done for a tax or fee they have passed off to there customer base.

Yep good pics and info but I don't see a price?? Wait this is the EE right

Yep, been using 17TRACK the whole time.
Back to Russia it goes...


Destination -
2020-04-29 07:09
RUSSIAN FEDERATION, MOSKVA PCI-21, Processed Through Facility -> Your item has been processed through a facility in MOSKVA PCI-21, RUSSIAN FEDERATION at 7:09 am on April 29, 2020.
2020-04-25 10:40
ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS), Processed Through Facility
2020-04-02 15:52
Origin Post is Preparing Shipment
2020-04-02 15:52
RUSSIAN FEDERATION, MOSKVA PCI-21, Processed Through Facility
2020-03-31 17:00
RUSSIAN FEDERATION, Acceptance

(Can’t post the whole tracking thread due to new user post length limit)

Alert

Item might undergo unusual shipping condition, this may due to several reasons, most likely item was returned to sender, customs issue, lost, damaged etc.

Please let us all know what happens with your package !!! I hope it works out for you. Thanks for sharing your tracker info.

Ordered a Perst-4 Green Plus from their EBay store 4/23/2020

2020-04-28 18:17
Origin Post is Preparing Shipment -> We have received notice that the originating post is preparing to dispatch this mail piece.
2020-04-28 18:17
RUSSIAN FEDERATION, Acceptance

Origin - Tracking consuming: 269 ms
2020-04-30 12:03
Russian Federation, Moskva EMS MMPO 130980, Customs clearance, Released by custom house
2020-04-30 12:02
Russian Federation, Moskva EMS MMPO 130980, Handed over to customs
2020-04-30 10:39
Russian Federation, Moskva EMS MMPO 130980, Processing, Arrival at transit office of exchange
2020-04-30 10:24
Russian Federation, Moskva EMS MMPO 130980, Processing, Arrival at inward office of exchange
2020-04-30 02:07
Russian Federation, MR LC Vnukovo 102975, Processing, Departure from inward office of exchange
2020-04-30 02:00
Russian Federation, MR LC Vnukovo 102975, Processing, Arrival at inward office of exchange
2020-04-29 22:40
Russian Federation, Moskva UKD-4 130206, Processing, Departure from inward office of exchange
2020-04-29 09:48
Russian Federation, Moskva UKD-4 130206, Processing, Arrival at inward office of exchange
2020-04-28 22:02
Russian Federation, Moskva 101000, Processing, Departed from origin facility
2020-04-28 18:17
Russian Federation, Moskva 101000, Acceptance, Single

I'll post my tracking info also then. I too purchased a perst-4 green plus from zenitco via Ebay. Guess I am lucky on this one. I haven't seen anything yet so I'm hoping that's because it is westbound and down.

Friday, Apr 17, 2020 4:28 PM          Released by custom house
Friday, Apr 17, 2020 4:27 PM          Handed over to the customs
Friday, Apr 17, 2020 4:18 PM          Arrived at the customs of Russia
Friday, Apr 17, 2020 4:18 PM     N/A     Origin Post is Preparing Shipment
Friday, Apr 17, 2020 3:50 PM          Arrived at the local distribution center
Friday, Apr 17, 2020 7:10 AM          Departed from local distribution center
Friday, Apr 17, 2020 2:14 AM          Arrived at the local distribution center
Thursday, Apr 16, 2020 5:46 PM          Sorting complete
Thursday, Apr 16, 2020 5:31 PM          Arrived at the Post office

On a separate occasion I ordered a plum furniture set for my trash can gun. It took inside of 3 months and two trips according to tracking. It was hilarious once I got it how much weird stuff the seller put in the package to disguise the stock set during x ray scan I assume.

Another time I ordered headlights straight from Japan and once they arrived at customs I was notified by phone. It was funny too because the agent was like what did you order and why. I had too fill out paperwork for them to be released even showing on a pencil diagram exactly what part of car was being replaced.

Just thought I would share.

Well I hope I can still send mine back to Russia, sitting on a 3 month old broken perst 3 that has now become a world traveller.

Dang guys I hope you turn out OK on that stuff.

Played with -3 a little more last night.  Fell in love with switch.  Love the rheostat.  So...



I did a little modification to fit it on my rail.  Turns out rail grabbers screw right off, leaving a nice base to work with.  Just had to grind down the "recoil lugs" to flush out bottom, then added sticky-back velcro and blamo, I gotta a switch right where I want it for my thumb.  

Had to leave off Cloud Defense goodness and just direct velcro white light switch in place right above laser switch.  The buttons are lined up on top of each other for easy activation of either pad.  This is my preferred position for this length bbl.  

It's a little bigger/thicker than I might want, but I can live with it.  Maybe one day they will have a M-Lok option, who knows.

While I was at it, I ground down the "mushrooms" on the adjustment caps, so you have less sticking up into the RDS window.

You don't realize how nice it is to be able to adjust intensity with your thumb until you try it.  Some guys mentioned how only the illum adjusts when in illum and pointer mode.  This makes sense now because you can dial up illum to ID a target without breaking POA.  It's one of those things that look goofy, until you try it.  Then it's like, oh wow, that's pretty cool.   I would say if you can work the switch in, use it.  Even if you have to order the KV-9P, which is a slightly smaller, round push button and dial.  Think I might do that myself.

Still waiting on my warranty return-


2020-03-20
04:57:00
Released by custom house,102972, Sharapovo,Russia,????????
2020-03-20
04:56:00
Handed over to the customs,102972, Sharapovo,Russia,????????
2020-03-20
01:26:00
Arrived at the customs of Russia,102972, Sharapovo,Russia,????????
2020-03-19
23:09:00
Arrived at the local distribution center,102975, Sharapovo,Russia,????????
2020-03-18
19:34:00
Departed from local distribution center,102150, Moskva,Russia,??????
2020-03-18
04:03:00
Arrived at the local distribution center,102150, Moskva,Russia,??????
2020-03-17
21:42:00
Departed from local distribution center,302960, Orël,Russia,????
2020-03-17
11:26:00
Sorting,302960, Orël,Russia,????
2020-03-17
10:52:00
Arrived at the local distribution center,302960, Orël,Russia,????
2020-03-16
18:49:00
Arrived at the Post office,302005, Orël,Russia,????
2020-03-16
15:25:00
Tracking number assigned,302016, Orël,Russia,????



I know shipping and logistics as a whole are screwed up right now, but this has seriously soured me on Russian lasers.

No updates since March 20th?

I’ve talked to Ivan on fb a couple times. They just say they are aware of delays.  

Not sure what else to do at this point.

Frustrating for sure. When did you first send it off for warranty work?

I shipped it out Feb 5.

Time and datePlaceMessage
Thursday, Apr 16, 2020 8:25 PMMOSKVA PCI-21Processed Through Facility
Thursday, Mar 26, 2020 6:15 PMN/AOrigin Post is Preparing Shipment
Sunday, Mar 22, 2020 8:23 PMN/AReleased by custom house
Sunday, Mar 22, 2020 8:22 PMN/AHanded over to the customs
Sunday, Mar 22, 2020 5:25 PMN/AArrived at the customs of Russia
Sunday, Mar 22, 2020 5:25 PMMOSKVA PCI-21Processed Through Facility
Sunday, Mar 22, 2020 2:03 PMN/AArrived at the local distribution center
Saturday, Mar 21, 2020 6:53 AMN/ADeparted from local distribution center
Saturday, Mar 21, 2020 2:16 AMN/AArrived at the local distribution center
Friday, Mar 20, 2020 9:00 PMN/ASorting complete
Friday, Mar 20, 2020 4:18 PMN/AArrived at the Post office

The wait is killing me.

Well bought a perst 4+ from BPT yesterday... let the waiting commence. Should have never sold the first one I bought

To everybody thinking they went back to Russia:

I talked to Yaroslav a few days back about my shipment. I ordered late March, i think 25th but maybe 27th, and like everyone else it bounced around quite a bit and has been delayed some, but earlier this week (April 29 at 7:09 AM) it said it went from NYC back to Russia, "processed through a facility in Moscow PCI-21."
Because of this, I contacted him, and he had this to say: "No, it’s in NY. Russian post system tracking is messed up. I’ve received detailed report, they assigned “released from Russia” with a delay, so technically it looks like it was released after arriving to NY."

So no, our lasers did not go back to Moscow, it's just the updates coming from Russia are delayed longer than the actual shipping is delayed (probably in an attempt to synchronize things?) and so it appears as though it went backwards. I'd expect another week or so until delivery.

Wow that's good news for some.  Thanks for that.  Makes sense now that you mention it.  The tracking system here with USPS has been similar, where pkgs stay in one status for days and then suddenly pop up at destination.  Hang in there guys!

This is also what Dmitriy from Zenitco EBay said was likely. We are waiting for the next tracking update to confirm.

Hey guys, I'm considering the Perst-4 Green+. Would a 1-6 in an Aero SPR mount clear the Perst or would I need a taller scope mount? Thanks!

Can anyone with one confirm or deny the perst-3 compatibility with Surefire pressure pads?  Could I use my existing Surefire  SR-D-IT pressure pad?

Well no, not stock, but yes, you can make it work.  The Russian devices have their own 3-pin receptacles for the rheostat control.  Now you can splice them in as guy's here have done.   Scroll back some, it's not too far.  They actually did some pretty impressive mods.

I do miss my dual switch, but it was worth the trade-off for laser power control.  The included switch, the KV-5P is a bit clunky, so I ordered the KV-9P from Ivan.  It has the round button and dial control in a smaller package.  

I just run a legacy SF tape switch right above the Perst, at "10:30".  

Dmitriy was correct.
My order was NOT returned to Russia.
The tracking updated and it is here in the states, headed towards its destination.