How often do gamemasters describe a shop as selling a "variety of rifles and pistols" but it really doesn't matter which one the character picks because it will get written down as "Pistol" on his character sheet and have the same stats as any other handgun in the Inner Sphere? Or how about when a well dressed employer is described as stepping out of a "hovercar" and wearing "expensive clothes?" During one of my campaigns I made the little change of making the militia rifles into "Journeyman Longrifles," a cheap and unwieldy bolt action of Capellan manufacture. This became a memorable item and afterwards they lugged around a crate of those rifles in their dropship to remind them of that mission. Adding a name to a brand of equipment and giving it something to make it stand out in the minds of your players adds another level of depth a believability to your game.
Since Battletech is a sci-fi game we don't have the opportunity to reward players with "+1 magic swords" and the like, however making an item name brand can also be an excuse to slightly change it's stats (for better or worse). Now, obviously, you can't make sweeping changes to the base statistics of an item without serious thought (Why hasn't it caught on everywhere? Is it LosTech? Experiemental / Unreliable? Severely expensive? Difficult to manufacture?), but even a slight twist on the base statistics for a weapon can greatly change how it functions in game play.
The following is a list that I'm putting together of "name brand" items for the battletech universe. Some have changes that are purely cosmetic, but can be roleplayed, and others have actual changes to their in-game performance. If you have any suggestions of your own, feel free to send them to me and I'll take a look at them.
MOE Industrial Exoskeleton: Metals of the Earth is a Rasalhague conglomorate that has it's hands in many fields. An area of primary interest is mining, and it produces a great deal of industrial equipment to support those operations. The MOE Exoskeleton is an example of this, found in both the Lyran and Draconis Successor States.
Swedenborg Press: Swedenborg manufactures industrial machinery. The Swedenborg Press is used for basic metal stamping required for beginning industries on many periphery and near-periphery worlds.
Amau Soundsystem: Amau is a producer of low end consumer electronics. The Amau Soundsystem is fairly typical of a midlevel technology "boom box" that retains bulky speakers instead of the streamlined look favored by more advanced systems.
Price Modifier: x 0.85
Journeyman Longrifle (Bolt Action Rifle): A cheap and easily manufactured rifle generally found in the Capellan Confederation. The Journeyman is almost five feet long and is commonly used with a long bayonet, making it a rather effective spear when it malfunctions.
The Journeyman jams on a fumble
Price Modifier: x 0.75
Scourge FW-09 (Needler Rifle): A Free Worlds League needler rifle commonly used by dropship security crews. The needler rifle is about the size of a carbine and does not have a shoulder stock, making it very easy to handle. However, it is not very effective at longer ranges.
Range: x 0.75
Duma 7mm (Autopistol): Barely large enough to avoid being labelled a "hold-out" pistol, the Duma is touted as easily concealable and perfect for self defense. It is manufactured primarily in the FWL and is popular with civilians in both Steiner and Marik space.
Damage: 3D
Shots: 7
Fuge VI (Laser Pistol): Specially designed with an odd looking, but supposedly egronomic grip, the Fuge is suprisingly comforable to handle once the firer is used to it. It is soley manufactured in Lyran space.
Halifax-05 (Medical Scanner): A portable and durable medical suite designed in 3005. Although not as refined or advanced as current scanners, the system is valued for its reliability. As such, it is popular on less developed worlds in the Inner Sphere and Periphery.
Stong Riot Gear (Flak Suit, Helmet, Shield): Standard issue to many Capellan police, Stong Riot Gear is usually manufactured locally. Because of this, the quality is sometimes less than desirable, but it is easily mass produced and effective for basic crowd control operations.
Price: x 0.85
Suit AV: 1/4/1/3
Virtuoso HS34 (Hovercar): The staple of Lyran luxery sedans, the Virtuoso has been in production for years. The HS34 is the latest model and comes standard with every available option. A smooth ride and a definate status symbol. If you have to ask, you can't afford it.
Price: x 2
Nyx 3000 (Starlight Scope):The Nyx is manufactured in the Free Worlds league and has a reputation for rugged dependability. It is also available in the Nyx 3000a, which is a hands-free mono scope with head harness.
Please send additional ideas and I'll be glad to credit you and add the item to this list.