A surgical instrument enables dispensing of a series of fasteners within a patient's body. The device includes a magazine sized and dimensioned to hold a series of fasteners, the series of fasteners insertable through an opening at the end of the magazine. A splined guide bore is rotatably supported within the magazine, and slidingly supports a shaft having an external surface mateable with the splined guide bore to restrict radial rotation of the shaft with respect to the support about said longitudinal axis. A biasing element is connected between the support and the shaft, to urge the shaft along a longitudinal axis towards a distal end of the instrument. A ratchet is connected to the shaft and engages the magazine to permit sliding of the shaft in a direction for dispensing fasteners only, unless disengaged with the magazine.