The typical example of a "Khyber Pass AK" is a stamped AKM receiver chambered for the 7.62×39mm cartridge, fitted with the triangular folding stock common to Russian AKS-74 rifles.

[3] Some Khyber Pass copies such as this Martini-Henry MK11[1] fell into the hands of the Taliban, and were soon captured by opposing forces and sent home.

Khyber Pass gunsmiths go to great lengths to replicate firearms, down to minute details such as proof markings.

It is not uncommon to see Khyber Pass rifles with numerous errors and particular identifying factors, notably: Afghanistan was a point of conflict between the British Empire and Imperial Russia throughout the 19th century, from which it is reasonable to assume that tools and expertise relevant to both cultures were accumulated by local gunsmiths.

A few collectors have made extremely mild handloaded cartridges for their Khyber Pass rifles and fired them, at substantial personal risk.

[7][failed verification] The packaging and headstamps are often forged versions of quality foreign brands like GECO (Gustav Genschow & Co.), Golden Tiger (Vympel IIRC), China Sport (NORINCO), MEN (Metallwerk Elisenhütte Nassau), and PPU (Prvi Partizan Užice).