Efficient Bullet

There are a few types of "Projectiles that will be in my game. One of which is the normal ole boring brass real world bullets which I had already planes on using line trace for. Plasma or laser however you want to look at it, which I was thinking about line tracing also and maybe having the plasma bullet exploding when reaching the point of impact. And rail guns which again I would think of line tracing. One concept that I am having a little trouble with is aiming. For a normal bullet is fine just line trace and use muzzle flash effect, but for plasma and rail guns which may or may not have a trail how do you get it to line up with what the player is aiming at? Because the barrel will always be bellow what the player is aiming at.