What I don't understand is why would anyone want either.
AK's are excellent carbines, particularly for the money. Essentially, it's a detachable-magazine, autoloading .30-30 with more modern looks, a wider range of capacities, and more rugged construction.
My "AK" is perhaps the last rifle I'd part with.
The mini-14 is also a good little carbine, but (IMHO) overpriced, and the accuracy of the older models was highly variable. My first rifle was a mini-14 Ranch Rifle, and was not one of the accurate ones.
man-target accurate at 100 yards
IMHO, that is more a function of the shooter than the platform. Due to the short sight radius and large amplitude barrel harmonics, the AK is an easy rifle to shoot badly. You can't get good groups with one with a sandbag under the barrel, for example; the bag needs to be as far back as possible, or even behind the magazine if the balance allows it, to minimize barrel jump off the bag.
Having said that, even a Romanian AK with inexpensive ammo will usually stay on a playing card at 50 yards and a 6" disk at 100, from a rest and with good ammunition will shoot better. For those who have trouble with the iron sights, optics help.