The propagation and scattering characteristics of a Laguerre Gaussian (LG) beam and Gaussian beam are theoretically and experimentally comparatively studied. The phase of the LG beam is almost free of scattering when the scattering is weak, resulting in a much weaker loss of transmission compared with the Gaussian beam. However, when scattering is strong, the phase of the LG beam is completely disturbed by it, and the transmission loss of the LG beam is stronger than that of the Gaussian beam. Moreover, the phase of the LG beam becomes stabler as the topological charge increases, and the beam radius increases as well. Therefore, the LG beam is suitable for short-range target detection in a weak scattering medium, not for long-range in a strong scattering medium. This work will contribute to the development of target detection, optical communication, and other applications of orbital angular momentum beams.