An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners including a housing, an elongated shaft extending from the housing, surgical fasteners disposed in the elongated shaft, a firing system for dispensing the surgical fasteners from the distal end of the elongated shaft, and a trigger coupled with the housing for activating the firing system. The firing system includes a firing rod disposed in the elongated shaft and an energy storing element disposed in the housing for building up energy for dispensing the surgical fasteners from the distal end of the elongated shaft. The firing system has a firing cycle including a first stage in which the firing rod advances a leading one of the surgical fasteners toward the distal end of the elongated shaft at a first rate of speed, a second stage in which the firing rod advances the leading one of the surgical fasteners toward the distal end of the elongated shaft at a second rate of speed that is greater than the first rate of speed, and an energy storing stage that occurs before the second stage during which energy is built up in the energy storing element.