A surgical fastener applying apparatus comprising: an anvil half-section including a distal anvil portion and a proximal handle portion; a cartridge receiving half-section defining an elongated channel member, the elongated channel member having a distal portion dimensioned to releasably receive a cartridge and a proximal portion configured to support a firing assembly, the cartridge receiving half-section further including a sidewall having an inner surface and an outer surface opposite said inner surface; a clamping lever secured to the cartridge receiving half-section, the clamping lever having a proximal portion and a distal portion and including a handle portion, the clamping lever being operably associated with the anvil half-section and the cartridge receiving half-section 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 further includes a sidewall having an inner surface in opposition to said outer surface of the sidewall of the cartridge receiving half-section, characterized in that: a bifurcated depression is defined in said outer surface of the sidewall of the cartridge receiving half-section, said bifurcated depression having a first depression portion and a second depression portion separated by a raised depression divider, and said sidewall of the clamping lever comprises a protrusion projecting inwardly from the inner surface of said sidewall, the protrusion being positionable within the first depression portion of the bifurcated depression to releasably retain the clamping lever in the unclamped position and the protrusion being positionable within the second depression portion of the bifurcated depression to releasably retain the clamping lever in the clamped position. an anvil half-section including a distal anvil portion and a proximal handle portion; a cartridge receiving half-section defining an elongated channel member, the elongated channel member having a distal portion dimensioned to releasably receive a cartridge and a proximal portion configured to support a firing assembly, the cartridge receiving half-section further including a sidewall having an inner surface and an outer surface opposite said inner surface; a clamping lever secured to the cartridge receiving half-section, the clamping lever having a proximal portion and a distal portion and including a handle portion, the clamping lever being operably associated with the anvil half-section and the cartridge receiving half-section 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 further includes a sidewall having an inner surface in opposition to said outer surface of the sidewall of the cartridge receiving half-section, characterized in that: a bifurcated depression is defined in said outer surface of the sidewall of the cartridge receiving half-section, said bifurcated depression having a first depression portion and a second depression portion separated by a raised depression divider, and said sidewall of the clamping lever comprises a protrusion projecting inwardly from the inner surface of said sidewall, the protrusion being positionable within the first depression portion of the bifurcated depression to releasably retain the clamping lever in the unclamped position and the protrusion being positionable within the second depression portion of the bifurcated depression to releasably retain the clamping lever in the clamped position. a bifurcated depression is defined in said outer surface of the sidewall of the cartridge receiving half-section, said bifurcated depression having a first depression portion and a second depression portion separated by a raised depression divider, and said sidewall of the clamping lever comprises a protrusion projecting inwardly from the inner surface of said sidewall, the protrusion being positionable within the first depression portion of the bifurcated depression to releasably retain the clamping lever in the unclamped position and the protrusion being positionable within the second depression portion of the bifurcated depression to releasably retain the clamping lever in the clamped position.