Unusual combination Winchester/Whitney rifle

[Short Knife Johnson]

Greetings all.

Have a bit of a Twilight Zone moment and maybe someone could help.

Came across a rifle for sale.  An otherwise standard 1873 rifle.  Half round barrel, about 65 to 70% condition, chambered in .44 cal.  Asking $1800.  I'll have to steal and post some pictures.  The initials "HA" crudely engraved (and I use that term loosely) on the starboard side on the forend.  The barrel is off of a Whitney-Kennedy rifle.  There are indexing marks on the breech and action that line up.  The tulip on the barrel is somewhat abreviated compared to the Kennedy rifle I own - almost as it the barrel shank was re-cut, but perhaps not quite. 

I know that Whitneyville Armory leased space to Winchester until Winchester bought him out about 1886 or so.  Would anyone have heard another example of this.  I could see the occasional use of surplus Kennedy barrels for a rushed special order, but am not willing to wager that it would be authentic, and neither a frontier gunsmith fix.  I would like to add this to my toy box, and would like to make the seller an informed counter offer if it is indeed not authentic.  I'm not one of those Winchester hoarders, I just have a passion for the unusual.   

Any input is greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

[Arizona Trooper]

Take a look at the Kennedy cartridge lifter patents. They show a Winchester action, not a Whitney. Check inside that Whitchester and see if the feed mechanism matches the patents. If so, it could be worth a lot more than what they are asking.