An improved surgical ligating instrument has been invented. The improvements comprise crimping means having canted jaws and advancing means having a clip actuator, said actuator having a first and second pawl in alternate relationship.A surgical ligating instrument has also been invented. The instrument comprisesa. a housing having a force activating and translating mechanism; b. loading mechanism having an injector, the terminal end adjacent a single clip; c. an advancing mechanism having a pair of aligned members, the initial end of said members contained in said housing and the terminal end containing jaws; a clip actuator rotatably mounted adjacent the initial end of said jaws; a spring, a pusher at the terminal end of said spring, and a plurality of clips, the rearmost clip adjacent said pusher and the frontmost clip contained by said actuator; and d. a crimping mechanism having a crimp bar.