diff --git a/DQM/include/DQM/SampleValidation.h b/DQM/include/DQM/SampleValidation.h
index 4433ef902..b8ef8e26f 100644
--- a/DQM/include/DQM/SampleValidation.h
+++ b/DQM/include/DQM/SampleValidation.h
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ namespace dqm {
             virtual void configure(framework::config::Parameters& ps);
 
             virtual void analyze(const framework::Event& event);
+
+	    int pdgid_label(const int pdgid);
         private:
 
     };
diff --git a/DQM/python/dqm.py b/DQM/python/dqm.py
index e2de6537f..59413078a 100644
--- a/DQM/python/dqm.py
+++ b/DQM/python/dqm.py
@@ -600,18 +600,18 @@ def __init__(self, name='SampleValidation') :
         super().__init__(name, 'dqm::SampleValidation', 'DQM')
 
         # primary histograms
-        self.build1DHistogram("pdgid_primaries", "PDG ID of primary particles", 2714, -500, 2213)
-        self.build1DHistogram("energy_primaries", "Energy of primary particles", 50, 0, 5000) # range applicable for 4 GeV beam
+        self.build1DHistogram("pdgid_primaries", "PDG ID of primary particles", 18, 0, 18)
+        self.build1DHistogram("energy_primaries", "Energy of primary particles", 90, 0, 9000) # range applicable for 4 GeV beam
         self.build2DHistogram("beam_smear", "x", 30, -150, 150, "y", 30, -150, 150)
 
         # primary daughter of interest (brem / dark brem) histograms
-        self.build1DHistogram("pdgid_primarydaughters", "PDG ID of primary daughters", 2714, -500, 2213)
+        self.build1DHistogram("pdgid_primarydaughters", "PDG ID of primary daughters", 18, 0, 18)
         self.build1DHistogram("startZ_hardbrem", "Start z position of hard primary daughter", 100, -500, 500)
         self.build1DHistogram("endZ_hardbrem", "End z position of hard primary daughter", 100, -500, 500)
-        self.build1DHistogram("energy_hardbrem", "Energy spectrum of hard primary daughter", 50, 2000, 4500)
+        self.build1DHistogram("energy_hardbrem", "Energy spectrum of hard primary daughter", 130, 2000, 8500)
 
         # daughters of hard brem histograms
-        self.build1DHistogram("pdgid_hardbremdaughters", "PDG ID of hard brem daughters", 2714, -500, 2213)
+        self.build1DHistogram("pdgid_hardbremdaughters", "PDG ID of hard brem daughters", 18, 0, 18)
         self.build1DHistogram("startZ_hardbremdaughters", "Start z position of hard brem daughters", 200, -1000, 1000)
         
 
diff --git a/DQM/src/DQM/SampleValidation.cxx b/DQM/src/DQM/SampleValidation.cxx
index 9b68a7d75..7f0a7bbbd 100644
--- a/DQM/src/DQM/SampleValidation.cxx
+++ b/DQM/src/DQM/SampleValidation.cxx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "DQM/SampleValidation.h"
 #include "SimCore/Event/SimParticle.h"
+#include "SimCore/Event/SimTrackerHit.h"
 #include "Framework/NtupleManager.h"
 #include <iostream>
 #include <fstream>
@@ -14,12 +15,15 @@ namespace dqm {
 
   void SampleValidation::analyze(const framework::Event& event) {
 
-    //Grab the SimParticle Map                                                        
+    //Grab the SimParticle Map and Target Scoring Plane Hits
+    auto targetSPHits(event.getCollection<ldmx::SimTrackerHit>("TargetScoringPlaneHits"));
     auto particle_map{event.getMap<int, ldmx::SimParticle>("SimParticles")};
 
     std::vector<int> primary_daughters;
 
-    //Loop over all SimParticles                                                      
+    double hard_thresh = 2500;
+
+    //Loop over all SimParticles
     for (auto const& it : particle_map) {
       ldmx::SimParticle p = it.second;
       int pdgid = p.getPdgID();
@@ -30,10 +34,17 @@ namespace dqm {
 
       for (auto const& parent_track_id: parents_track_ids) {
 	if (parent_track_id == 0) {
-	  histograms_.fill("beam_smear", vertex[0], vertex[1]);
-	  histograms_.fill("pdgid_primaries", pdgid);
+	  histograms_.fill("pdgid_primaries", pdgid_label(pdgid));
 	  histograms_.fill("energy_primaries", energy);
+	  if (energy > 4000) {
+	    hard_thresh = 5000;
+	  }
 	  primary_daughters = daughters;
+	  for (const ldmx::SimTrackerHit &sphit : targetSPHits) {
+	    if (sphit.getTrackID() == it.first && sphit.getPosition()[2] < 0) {
+	      histograms_.fill("beam_smear", vertex[0], vertex[1]);
+	    }
+	  }
 	}
       }
     }
@@ -45,8 +56,8 @@ namespace dqm {
       ldmx::SimParticle p = it.second;
       for (auto const& primary_daughter : primary_daughters) {
 	if (trackid == primary_daughter) {
-	  histograms_.fill("pdgid_primarydaughters", p.getPdgID());
-	  if (p.getEnergy() >= 2500) {
+	  histograms_.fill("pdgid_primarydaughters", pdgid_label(p.getPdgID()));
+	  if (p.getEnergy() >= hard_thresh) {
 	    histograms_.fill("startZ_hardbrem", p.getVertex()[2]);
 	    histograms_.fill("endZ_hardbrem", p.getEndPoint()[2]);
 	    histograms_.fill("energy_hardbrem", p.getEnergy());
@@ -62,7 +73,7 @@ namespace dqm {
       for (const std::vector<int> &daughter_track_id : hardbrem_daughters){
 	for (const int &daughter_id : daughter_track_id) {
 	  if (trackid == daughter_id) {
-	    histograms_.fill("pdgid_hardbremdaughters", p.getPdgID());
+	    histograms_.fill("pdgid_hardbremdaughters", pdgid_label(p.getPdgID()));
 	    histograms_.fill("startZ_hardbremdaughters", p.getVertex()[2]);
 	  }
 	}
@@ -72,6 +83,44 @@ namespace dqm {
 
     return;
   }
+
+  int SampleValidation::pdgid_label(const int pdgid) {
+    int label = 0;
+    if (pdgid == -11) label = 1; // e+
+    
+    if (pdgid == 11) label = 2; // e-
+    
+    if (pdgid == -13) label = 3; // μ+
+    
+    if (pdgid == 13) label = 4; // μ-
+    
+    if (pdgid == 22) label = 5; // γ
+    
+    if (pdgid == 2212) label = 6; // proton
+    
+    if (pdgid == 2112) label = 7; // neutron
+    
+    if (pdgid == 211) label = 8; //π+
+    
+    if (pdgid == -211) label = 9; //π-
+    
+    if (pdgid == 111) label = 10; //π0
+    
+    if (pdgid == 321) label = 11; // K+
+    
+    if (pdgid == -321) label = 12; // K-
+    
+    if (pdgid == 130) label = 13; // K-Long
+    
+    if (pdgid == 310) label = 14; // K-Short
+    
+    if (pdgid > 2300) label = 16; //exotic (e.g., baryon with strangeness)
+    
+    if (pdgid > 10000) label = 15; //nuclei
+    
+    return label;
+  }
+
 }
 
 DECLARE_ANALYZER_NS(dqm, SampleValidation)