A surgical fastener applier comprising a cartridge section having acartridge containing a plurality of fasteners, an anvil section having ananvil for receivingthe fasteners when advanced from the cartridge, the cartridge and anvilsections clampingtissue therebetween. The first and second cam members are movable within thecartridgesection to fire the fasteners. A cam member supporting member fixed within thecartridgesection has an upper surface on which the cam members are slidable. The uppersurfaceof the cam member supporting member has a first upper surface portion on afirst planeand a second lower surface portion in a different substantially parallelsecond plane suchthat the first and second cam members slide in offset planes on the uppersurface to firethe fasteners.
