Under the current conditions you are absolutely right. But I think its debatable if my suggested process, at large scale, wouldn't be cheaper. Once a press is set up to punch the hole it would be quick and pennies per receiver. The punch itself would be a comparatively small unit, and fine accuracy isn't necessary. The plug would be cheap to mass produce, and a simple press to press them in. It's not a major stress point so you're really just plugging the hole to keep the dust out. Heck now that I think about it, punch the hole and plug it with plastic.
As I've said, the real stumbling block is the laws, they would need to be changed