A surgical stapler, comprising: (a) an anvil half comprising: (i) an anvil channel member, and (ii) an anvil surface having a plurality of staple forming pockets; (b) a cartridge half configured to releasably couple with the anvil half, wherein the cartridge half comprises: (i) a cartridge channel member having a distal portion configured to receive a staple cartridge, and (ii) a latching member movably coupled to the cartridge channel member, wherein the latching member is movable between a closed position in which the latching member fixes the anvil channel member relative to the cartridge channel member, and an open position in which the latching member permits movement of the anvil channel member relative to the cartridge channel member; (c) a resilient member arranged at a proximal end of one of the anvil half or the cartridge half; and (d) a projection arranged at a proximal end of the other of the anvil half or the cartridge half, wherein the resilient member is configured to contact and releasably couple with the projection to thereby couple the proximal end of the anvil half with the proximal end of the cartridge half while the latching member is in the open position; and characterised in that the resilient member comprises an L-shaped spring having a base leg and an upright leg extending away from the base leg. (a) an anvil half comprising: (i) an anvil channel member, and (ii) an anvil surface having a plurality of staple forming pockets; (i) an anvil channel member, and (ii) an anvil surface having a plurality of staple forming pockets; (b) a cartridge half configured to releasably couple with the anvil half, wherein the cartridge half comprises: (i) a cartridge channel member having a distal portion configured to receive a staple cartridge, and (ii) a latching member movably coupled to the cartridge channel member, wherein the latching member is movable between a closed position in which the latching member fixes the anvil channel member relative to the cartridge channel member, and an open position in which the latching member permits movement of the anvil channel member relative to the cartridge channel member; (i) a cartridge channel member having a distal portion configured to receive a staple cartridge, and (ii) a latching member movably coupled to the cartridge channel member, wherein the latching member is movable between a closed position in which the latching member fixes the anvil channel member relative to the cartridge channel member, and an open position in which the latching member permits movement of the anvil channel member relative to the cartridge channel member; (c) a resilient member arranged at a proximal end of one of the anvil half or the cartridge half; and (d) a projection arranged at a proximal end of the other of the anvil half or the cartridge half, wherein the resilient member is configured to contact and releasably couple with the projection to thereby couple the proximal end of the anvil half with the proximal end of the cartridge half while the latching member is in the open position; and characterised in that the resilient member comprises an L-shaped spring having a base leg and an upright leg extending away from the base leg.