I personally haven't used trace rifles much since they became special weapons due to the competition they have to fight against. They are very good at trash mob clear and have very good sustained dps for bosses but it's burst damage that plays a critical role in the current meta of endgame. The faster it dies the better. I don't think they are bad, I just think they have really fierce competition to go up against. You would think there would be more of them around after their hefty 30% buff...but you really don't. One of the biggest reasons why i think nobody uses them is because they are exotics. Exotic heavies are best for the activities we have right now. I would personally like a legendary one that just does straight damage with no gimmick or additional benefit. Just a laser beam. Let me know your thoughts.