A surgical instrument comprising: a handle; an elongated shaft extending distally from the handle configured to hold a stack of one or more fasteners, wherein the elongated shaft is configured to apply a proximally directed first restraining force to the one or more fasteners to prevent distal movement of the one or more fasteners, and wherein the elongated shaft is configured to apply a proximally directed second restraining force to the one or more fasteners to prevent distal movement of the one or more fasteners; a fastener deployment system for deploying the one or more fasteners from the elongated shaft, wherein the fastener deployment system includes a driveshaft disposed within the elongated shaft; and a follower disposed within the elongated shaft proximally to the one or more fasteners, wherein a distal displacement of the driveshaft causes the driveshaft to apply a deployment force to the distal most fastener, the deployment force opposing the second restraining force, such that when said deployment force exceeds a preselected threshold of the second restraining force the distal most fastener is deployed from the elongated shaft, wherein the distal displacement of the driveshaft displaces the follower in a distal direction, the follower thus applying an increasing compression force to the one or more fasteners, the compression force opposing the first restraining force, such that when said compression force exceeds a preselected threshold of the first restraining force the one or more fasteners are displaced in a distal direction, and wherein the preselected threshold of the second restraining force is greater than the preselected threshold of the first restraining force. a handle; an elongated shaft extending distally from the handle configured to hold a stack of one or more fasteners, wherein the elongated shaft is configured to apply a proximally directed first restraining force to the one or more fasteners to prevent distal movement of the one or more fasteners, and wherein the elongated shaft is configured to apply a proximally directed second restraining force to the one or more fasteners to prevent distal movement of the one or more fasteners; a fastener deployment system for deploying the one or more fasteners from the elongated shaft, wherein the fastener deployment system includes a driveshaft disposed within the elongated shaft; and a follower disposed within the elongated shaft proximally to the one or more fasteners, wherein a distal displacement of the driveshaft causes the driveshaft to apply a deployment force to the distal most fastener, the deployment force opposing the second restraining force, such that when said deployment force exceeds a preselected threshold of the second restraining force the distal most fastener is deployed from the elongated shaft, wherein the distal displacement of the driveshaft displaces the follower in a distal direction, the follower thus applying an increasing compression force to the one or more fasteners, the compression force opposing the first restraining force, such that when said compression force exceeds a preselected threshold of the first restraining force the one or more fasteners are displaced in a distal direction, and wherein the preselected threshold of the second restraining force is greater than the preselected threshold of the first restraining force. a distal displacement of the driveshaft causes the driveshaft to apply a deployment force to the distal most fastener, the deployment force opposing the second restraining force, such that when said deployment force exceeds a preselected threshold of the second restraining force the distal most fastener is deployed from the elongated shaft, wherein the distal displacement of the driveshaft displaces the follower in a distal direction, the follower thus applying an increasing compression force to the one or more fasteners, the compression force opposing the first restraining force, such that when said compression force exceeds a preselected threshold of the first restraining force the one or more fasteners are displaced in a distal direction, and wherein the preselected threshold of the second restraining force is greater than the preselected threshold of the first restraining force.