A surgical fastener applying apparatus comprising:an anvil half-section (12) including a distal anvil portion and a proximal handle portion；a cartridge receiving half-section (14) defining an elongated channel member (22), the elongated channel member having a distal portion (24a) dimensioned to releasably receive a cartridge (18) and a proximal portion configured to support a firing assembly (20), the cartridge receiving half-section further including a sidewall defining a depression (189)； anda clamping lever (16) secured to the cartridge receiving half section (14), the clamping lever having a proximal portion and a distal portion and including a handle portion, the clamping lever (16) being operably associated with the anvil half-section (12) and the cartridge receiving half-section (14) and being movable from an unclamped position to a clamped position to releasably secure the anvil portion of the anvil half-section in close approximation with the cartridge, wherein the clamping lever (16) further includes a sidewall having a protrusion (201), the protrusion being positionable within the depression of the cartridge receiving half-section to prevent the clamping lever from moving to a position where it could be disengaged from the cartridge receiving section.
